Steve, has organising the Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais been a dream come true?
Yes, even a second dream! In 2020, I was on the organising committee for the Road World Championships in Martigny, but they were cancelled due to COVID. It's extraordinary that we're able to stage such an event today.
You have a strong connection to the dams in Valais. Why is that?
The dams are symbolic places for us cyclists. The roads leading to them are beautiful, quiet and often passable early in the season. Every summer, I set myself the goal of climbing several of them, sometimes even all of them I also go there with my wife, on my e-bike or with my children. We enjoy the scenery, the restaurants in the mountains and spend great days doing sport.
Do you have a special memory of a dam?
The stage of the 2016 Tour de France up to Emosson! That was extraordinary, I'll remember it for the rest of my life. I was in the breakaway group. My family and my fan club were standing on the side of the road just a few kilometres before the finish. I finished ninth or tenth in the stage. Afterwards, our team bus was parked on the Emosson dam. Once I'd had a shower, I admired the landscape from the bus. It was magical. After the stage, the entire entourage drove through the tunnels of the Nant de Drance pumped storage power station to Megève, which was pretty crazy!
Mountain biking is closely connected to nature. How important is it to you?
I grew up in Val d'Illiez and mountain biking was the first sport I ever did. I lived in a chalet and my parents had animals, so I quickly developed a strong connection to nature. Even today, I am committed to treating the environment with respect. Among other things, I am co-president of the Fair Trail Valais initiative, which promotes respect between hikers, mountain bikers, farmers and nature. Valais is a beautiful region with hiking trails that are open to everyone. Nevertheless, there are rules that should be followed to ensure that everyone can enjoy our Alps.
