For Alpiq, sponsorship means more than just visibility. It is an expression of our long-term commitment to this region. The 2025 Mountain Bike World Championships offer us a unique opportunity to showcase our assets in action – right in the heart of Valais. The championships symbolise everything that drives us: sustainable energy, strong partnerships and deep roots in the region.
07/04/2025, 12:00
| News
This year’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are taking place in Valais. As the heart of our hydropower activities this region is particularly important for Alpiq, making us an ideal Main Partner of the event. This creates the opportunity for us to showcase some of our largest hydropower facilities. Together we are committed to ensuring that the entire region will be energized by a sustainable and different kind of energy.
Valais is not only a scenic gem but also the centre of Swiss hydropower as around 30% of the hydropower produced in Switzerland comes from this canton. Alpiq operates some of its most powerful facilities here, including iconic power plants such as Grand-Dixence, Nant de Drance and Electra-Massa. As well as helping to shape Switzerland’s energy future, this infrastructure is a visible sign of our deep connection with the region.
When the world's best mountain bikers head to Valais for the World Championships in the summer of 2025, two worlds will come together. At first glance, they could hardly be more different, but they have more in common than you might think: adrenaline, endurance, cutting-edge technology, nature, elite sport and elite performance. As a leading provider of sustainable energy, Alpiq is proud to be a partner of this unique event, which will bring together different forms of energy at several locations.
©Valais_Wallis Promotion - Simon Ricklin
A different perspective on the competition venues
Monthey/Champéry – adrenaline and drive
Monthey/Champéry – adrenaline and drive
On the pumptrack and downhill around Monthey and Champéry, energy is literally in the air – and underground. Nant de Drance, one of the most powerful pumped storage power plants in Europe, is just a stone’s throw away, located 600 metres underground between the Emosson and Vieux-Emosson reservoirs. It stores energy and produces electricity exactly when it is needed – rivalling the dynamism of the riders on the trails.
Sion & Crans-Montana – cross-country racing meets the might of hydropower
Sion & Crans-Montana – cross-country racing meets the might of hydropower
The opening ceremony in Sion and the cross-country races in Crans-Montana take place in the immediate vicinity of the grande dame of hydropower: the Grande Dixence, which is the world’s tallest gravity dam at 285 metres. For decades, it has embodied consistency, innovation and Swiss engineering – just as mountain biking represents endurance, tactics, and technique.
Val d’Anniviers – a marathon with extra reserves
Val d’Anniviers – a marathon with extra reserves
The marathon through the Val d’Anniviers goes past the Moiry reservoir, nestled in the alpine landscape. Here, meltwater and gravity generate sustainable kilowatt-hours – while sweat and dust generate world titles.
Zermatt – short track with forward-thinking power
Zermatt – short track with forward-thinking power
The short-track event in Zermatt will take place in the shadow of the Matterhorn – overlooking the Gornerli multi-purpose reservoir project, which is set to drive new developments in Switzerland’s winter energy supply. Like the short-track event itself, this project stands for precision, speed and sustainability.
Aletsch Arena – enduro racing at a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Aletsch Arena – enduro racing at a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Enduro races in the Aletsch Arena – where natural wonder meets technical challenge. Here, Electra-Massa converts the meltwater from the largest glacier in the Alps into electricity – just as the bikers use all the techniques at their disposal to overcome huge differences in altitude.
