A premiere at the Gravel Festival Bern: On 17 October 2026, the Swiss Championship titles in the gravel discipline will be awarded for the very first time. With this step, Switzerland’s oldest and largest gravel event takes the next leap in its evolution, underscoring its role as the leading event on the Swiss gravel scene. At the same time, the festival remains true to its roots, bringing elite, mass-participation, and youth sports together under one roof.
After eight successful editions and steady growth in participant numbers, the Gravel Festival Bern 2026 is putting a stronger focus on elite sport—without losing sight of its roots as a mass-participation and family event.
For the national cycling federation, Swiss Cycling, the title races in this still young discipline are a novelty. “For us as a federation, hosting national championships is a logical step to cater to the growing gravel segment. However, we won’t just be awarding elite titles; we will also be crowning the fastest riders in the age groups with the coveted championship jersey,” says Patrick Müller, Head of Performance Sport at Swiss Cycling.
Elite and Mass-Participation Sport on the Same Course
“We are proud to host the first national gravel championships. Being awarded the event by Swiss Cycling reinforces our commitment to further developing our festival. At the same time, we are not focusing exclusively on top-tier sport, but continue to include all participants,” says organiser Christian Rocha.
All age categories will be at the start line again in 2026. The proven starting order based on self-assessment remains in place. New for this year is the additional opportunity to race for the Swiss Championship titles by holding a license in the corresponding categories.
Gravel cycling has developed rapidly in recent years. What was a niche sport for a few enthusiasts a decade ago has long since evolved into an established discipline. A defining characteristic of gravel racing is the proximity between pros and amateur riders: they start on the same course, in the same race, and share the same passion.
This interplay between elite and mass-participation sport is central to the Gravel Festival Bern. While the event—with recently around 1,400 participants—is still some way off the largest international events with several thousand starters, it is precisely the welcoming atmosphere and openness to all performance levels that make the Bernese event unique.
Alongside the ambitious riders in the “Race”, the “Ride” offers a shorter route for leisure cyclists. Children and families will also get their money’s worth with the Family Ride and Kids Gravel.
“Being allowed to crown the Swiss Champions is a great honour for us. At the same time, it is equally important to us that all participants have fun and that the cycling industry is given a platform with our Expo,” says Project Manager Fridolin Engler. “In the long term, we want to remain an event for the entire family and the whole gravel community.”
Broad Support from the Industry and Region
Preparations for the 2026 edition are in full swing. For many years, the organizing committee has been able to rely on the support of numerous national and regional partners. Alongside title partner Scott Sports, the City of Bern, the Swisslos Sports Fund of the Canton of Bern, GIRO, the Bern section of the VCS, and EGK Health Insurance have all played a key role in the long-term success of the event.
As in the previous year, the Gravel Festival Bern will take place at the PHBern / University of Bern campus. Thanks to its spacious layout and excellent accessibility, the venue has proven to be an ideal start and finish area.
With the first Swiss Gravel Championships, a historic edition awaits the Gravel Festival Bern in autumn 2026—marking yet another milestone for an event that has stood for community, passion, and the fascination of gravel cycling since 2018.