Following the Tour de Suisse
Olivier Senn has mountains in his eyes and cycling adrenaline in his blood. At 55, this son of Gansingen—a small municipality in Aargau—has transformed his youthful passion for two wheels into a mission: making the Tour de Suisse not only one of the most prestigious races in the international panorama, but also a true manifesto of Swiss beauty.
Because the Tour de Suisse is not just a race: it’s a showcase that brings Switzerland to 140 countries worldwide through television, an opportunity to show hidden valleys and local traditions to millions of viewers. But how does one organize and promote a professional stage cycling race? We asked Senn.
How did your passion for cycling begin and how did it evolve to become your profession?
“I grew up with cycling, it was in the air in our village. As a child, I watched races on television and dreamed of those landscapes, those climbs. Then I started pedaling seriously, but I realized that my talent wasn’t sufficient to reach the top. However, my love for this sport remained, and when I was presented with the opportunity to work in organizing cycling events, I understood that I could contribute to cycling in a different but equally important way.”
The Tour de Suisse is not just a race, but also a major territorial promotion project. How do you balance the sporting aspect with the tourism aspect?
“It’s the real challenge of our work. We have all of Switzerland before us and we must choose a route that is spectacular for television, challenging for riders, but also sustainable for local communities. We bring a few thousand people in our entourage, we need hotels and services, but ultimately the real value is communication, the presentation of the region, village, or city at national and international levels.”
This year you brought the Tour to Italy as well, to Valchiavenna. How do you choose these cross-border routes?
“We don’t actively seek it out, it was the administrators of Valtellina who came to us. However, we only have 8 days of racing, we’re not a grand tour with 21 stages. At most we can do one stage crossing into another country. I think it’s good for the internationality of the Tour de Suisse, but it’s not the essential thing.”
Are there locations you dream of including in the route?
“For me, reality is more important than dreams. Certainly, for cycling, climbs like the Tremola are spectacular and we can plan them every 3-4 years. Even if I could, I’d include it always: the Gotthard is important in Switzerland and the Tremola is very beautiful, very scenic.”
Does the Tour also help promote new routes for amateur cyclists?
“We hope so! This is a good example: you create a new road for cyclists and we can provide national and international communication for it. For us, the most important thing is that many Swiss people cycle, and that they come to the Tour de Suisse by bicycle, not by car.”
How does the television machinery of the Tour de Suisse work?
“Swiss Television has two helicopters, one for the race, one for images. Further 4 motorbike cameras and 7 fixed cameras at the finish. In the end, we say that the Tour de Suisse is the best advertising for Switzerland because we take many images of all regions and then we’re broadcast in 140 countries worldwide. We try to showcase the beauty of Switzerland and its Cantons.”
Has it ever happened that someone told you they discovered an area thanks to the Tour’s images?
“Yes. And sometimes watching on television I myself say ‘I didn’t know that place was so beautiful,’ maybe I’ve passed through but hadn’t noticed. The Tour is a way to discover the territory in a different way as well.”
Do you have fans who follow the race like at the Tour de France?
“Yes, but not many. Normally from the Bern area, 20-30 campers that follow the race. It’s not like at the Galibier. But there’s a passionate following.”
How do you see the future of Swiss cycling and the Tour de Suisse?
“Cycling in Switzerland has a long and consolidated tradition. Our objective is to keep it alive, make it accessible to new generations and at the same time respect the environment.”
A final message for cycling enthusiasts?
“The Tour de Suisse is much more than a race: it’s a celebration of Switzerland, cycling, and the beauty that surrounds us. Every year we try to offer eight days of pure emotions, where sport and territory merge into a unique experience. And remember: the bicycle is the best way to discover our country!”
Olivier Senn peers out from the car leading the Tour caravan, gazing toward the mountains of Moesano. He knows that every curve, every climb, every descent carries with it immense responsibilities, but also the possibility of gifting unique emotions to riders and spectators alike. Ultimately, this is the true spirit of cycling: the capacity to transform passion into a shared journey through beauty.
Olivier Senn
Year of birth: 1970
Profession: Tour de Suisse Director
Senn was an elite cycling competitor in the 1990s. Currently Head of Operations of Cycling Unlimited AG, the organizing company of the Tour de Suisse, where he serves as Director for Tour de Suisse. He also represents prominent Swiss riders including Stefan Küng and Stefan Bissegger. From 2014 to 2018, he served as general director of the event, before fully resuming the role in the post-pandemic period. He holds and has held numerous positions in international cycling.
