Swissman Xtreme Triathlon 2025 Recap: The Bike
Swissman Recap: The Bike Leg
If you missed my full bike setup breakdown: what I rode, what wheels I chose, and why I didn’t go full aero for this course - you can catch up on that post here. It goes into all the techy stuff, but this recap? This one’s about how the day actually went down.
T1
Rolling out of Ascona, the bike leg of the Swissman Xtreme Triathlon wasted no time in reminding us why this race is famous. It drizzled a little as we came into Locarno, but nothing major, and the rain stopped quickly and conditions turned out to be pretty perfect. The first 90 kilometers were familiar to me, having spent a lot of time in Ticino over the years. Rolling roads, overcast skies and steady speed. I felt good. I was mid-field and always surrounded by other cyclists, which made me feel a bit more settled. The road markings aren't as obvious as they might be in an IRONMAN branded event, and at first I couldn't get my maps to load on my Garmin, but having people around ment I wasn't getting lost.
Gotthard Pass: Cobblestones & Scenery
The first climb of the day was the legendary Gotthard Pass, cobblestones and all. Honestly? Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The sun had broken through by then, and the views were unreal. Classic Swiss postcard vibes. The descent, though? Terrifying. It was hands-down the scariest of the three passes, but still not quite as bad as I had imagined.
Furka Pass: Endless Climb, Stunning Views
Next up was Furka Pass, and this one was hard. The roads were smooth and the scenery absolutely jaw-dropping, but there was so much traffic and it felt like it would never end. At one point, I rode alongside a guy named Simon, and chatting with him was a great distraction. The descent that followed? Loved it! Even though I’m far from the fastest descender out there, I had a great time rolling down those switchbacks.
Grimsel Pass: The Home Stretch (Sort Of)
Finally, we hit Grimsel Pass. I asked my support crew (aka. my family) how long it was and the only answer I got was: “It’s not far.” Classic. The climb wasn’t super familiar to me, even though this pass is close to where I went to University. By the time I reached the top it had started drizzling again. I threw on a jacket for the descent, and I’m glad I did, it was loooong, chilly, and (for me) fast. By then it really felt like the home stretch, though Swissman still had a sneaky little extra climb tucked in before transition. Apparently this is a climb most people forget about. I mean, I was sure it wasn't even on the map, but nope... I looked it up after the race, and the little spike was right there. Thankfully, that one was short. And then it was easy rolling into transition!
Fueling the Ride
On the nutrition side, I tried to stick to my plan for as much as I could: an OTE Apple Energy Gel every hour, plus OTE Super Carbs in my bottles (absolute hero of the day). And as always on an extreme race I have some 'real' food as well: a Bounty bar, a couple of Swedish cinnamon rolls, banana, gummy bears, Coke, and water. My dad thinks I should have eaten more, but honestly, the Super Carbs carried me through and I can't imagine racing without it again.
I’m so happy to have Fit Me Active and OTE onboard as a sponsor - they really made sure I had everything I needed to stay fueled from start to finish. And if you want to try them too, all friends of WYLD get 25% off orders with code WYLD.