Sun Trip Alpes
The Sun Trip – that means adventure, strength trial, inventiveness and technology. Each year, dozens of intrepid women and men rise to the challenge with their self-built solar bicycles: the multiweek competition with its long stages. This year, the Sun Trip leads once around and over the Alps. In Switzerland, there will be exclusive stops in Andermatt and Disentis.
On the Sun Trip, the goal isn’t to be the first to reach the finish line. In contrast to other competitions, the participants here set their own routes. The only thing specified are the stage destinations. There are seven of them on the 20-day, 2,500-kilometre-long Sun Trip Alps. The only stage destination in Switzerland is in Andermatt on June 22. The following stage will feature a stopover in Disentis. Bonus points are awarded for crossing passes and going by certain lakes, and the participant with the most points wins.
Schedule
4.00 p.m.: Arrival/tour of the solar bikes through the village of Andermatt
4:30 p.m.: Meet and greet with the riders in Piazza Gottardo in Andermatt Reuss and test rides with e-fatbikes from Bikewelt Gisler
5:30 p.m.: Official welcoming by the community
Muscle power and solar energy
The Sun Trip is an impressive demonstration of how it’s possible to travel great distances with a bicycle and solar power completely independently of infrastructure and at high speed. For example, the top two participants on the 2021 tour posted an average speed of 30.2 kilometres per hour. On the longest tour to date – 12,000 kilometres from Lyon to Guangzhou, China in 2018 – the fastest rider needed just 45 days. For that reason, and owing to the customised bicycles, the Sun Trip is an unforgettable experience for participants as well as for spectators along the route. That will certainly also be the case this year, where the aim is to climb the highest Alpine passes.
Further information
Sun Trip Alps: https://www.thesuntrip.com/sun-trip-alpes-2022/
