Tour de Suisse: Spectacle and furore on the Moosalp
Kilian Frankiny recently hung up his professional cycling career. But his passion for cycling remains. Frankiny wants to share this passion this summer as an ambassador with the Tour de Suisse arrival at Moosalp. The man from the Upper Valais is expecting an exciting stage arrival, as he tells us in the interview.
Kilian, you have ended your professional career as a cyclist. How are you doing?
Kilian Frankiny: I'm doing very well. At the moment I'm enjoying the winter in Valais and the typical activities like ski touring, cross-country skiing or skiing. The last few years, winter sports came too short for me. The life of a professional athlete is characterized by a lot of traveling and constant training sessions. It was the order of the day for me to live in a certain permanent stress. I still have to get used to the new calm.
You are involved as an ambassador for the Tour de Suisse in the Moosalp region. Why?
In the last years I have seen, learned and experienced a lot as a professional cyclist. I believe that my experience can be helpful. For this reason, I am very happy to support the event and offer my help and knowledge.
The stage arrival of the Tour de Suisse in the Moosalpregion will allow me many new impressions. On the one hand, the event offers me the opportunity to see many familiar faces from my active cycling career again after my retirement. Until now, I was a rider in the field. The focus was 100% on the racing. This time I get the chance to experience what it takes to organize such a great event. But I also get to experience the atmosphere on the side of the road when the riders conquer the steep climb up to Moosalp. That will be a very special and emotional moment for me. Although I have had the opportunity to see a lot of the world as a professional, the Valais is and remains one of the most beautiful regions for me. With the Tour de Suisse we have an optimal showcase to present the Valais with all its beauty. Being a part of it fills me with joy.
The final climb from Visp via Stalden on Törbel up to Moosalp is steep. How big will the challenge be for the racers?
On the World Tour, there are climbs and passes that have to be conquered on every tour. Switzerland in particular offers the mountain riders a lot of variety and always a new challenge. The climb up to Moosalp will certainly be one of the big challenges of this year's Tour de Suisse. The climb is comparable to the big Alpine passes. From Visp to the Moosalp it is just under 1400 meters of altitude. A highlight are of course the numerous serpentines. The fantastically beautiful view of the mountains will be a secondary matter for the riders, but certainly a feast for the eyes of the numerous spectators watching on TV or on site.
What kind of spectacle can spectators at the roadside look forward to?
Due to the steep climb up the Moosalp, the racers will ride at a slower pace. This allows the spectators to see and support the riders longer and better. Guaranteed it will be a huge spectacle of the world's best mountain riders. The spectators can look forward to an elimination race of the favorites. I expect the group of favorites to get smaller from kilometer to kilometer. Towards the end of the climb there will be attacks for the day's victory and the lead. Every rider wants to take valuable seconds from his competitors. Those who have a weak day on this stage can forget their hopes for the overall victory of the Tour de Suisse. In addition to the racing action, the Tour de Suisse caravan is a highlight for young and old on the roadside.
What kind of lasting impact does holding a TdS have on a region?
The climb up to Moosalp will provide spectacle and furor. As a result, many people will remember this stage for a long time. The Moosalp region will be known far beyond our cantonal borders. The televised images of the entire region will speak for themselves and be broadcast in numerous countries. I hope, of course, that people will want to see our natural beauty for themselves on site and will therefore book vacations in the region. However, this should not only be the case for spectators who are enthusiastic about cycling, but also for nature lovers and mountain admirers.
What are you most looking forward to?
Personally, I'm really looking forward to June 17, 2022. It's a great honor for me to be part of this event. I am grateful that the OC of the Tour de Suisse has placed the necessary trust in me. I hope for an exciting race, beautiful weather and numerous spectators on site who will loudly support the riders and thus ease their suffering. There should be a fair and accident-free race, without incidents up to the Moosalp, with a beaming winner. I can also imagine that the spectators will get an impression of how much discipline, pain, sweat, ambition and struggle it requires from each individual rider to contest such a stage and to inspire the spectators at the roadside.
Tour de Suisse stage location Moosalp - June 17, 2022
The Tour de Suisse is the biggest fringe tour in Switzerland. It takes place every year in mid-June and is considered one of the most important stage races in cycling. This year, the Tour de Suisse makes a stop in the Upper Valais.
On June 17, 2022, the cycling tour comes to Moosalp after a start in Ticino. After many kilometers of racing, the riders fight their way up to Moosalp at the end of the stage from Visp via Stalden and Törbel. Around 23 kilometers and 1,400 meters of altitude with 18 hairpin bends are in store for the riders on the final climb. A pro will need about 1 hour for this final section between Visp and Moosalp. Arrival is expected between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Moosalp at 2,048 meters above sea level.
In addition to a spectacular sporting event, spectators will be offered an extensive supporting program, various catering options and a view of Switzerland's highest mountains and the surrounding glaciers.
