Signau Grand Prix   

Signau Grand Prix is a short one day race that tests every skill that a rider can possess. At 78 km in length, it is not particularly long but race tactics often decide the outcome of the race.

The race leaves the small village of Signau and begins to race south through green pastures towards Eggiwil. After 10 km the road begins to climb on the first of two significant climbs. It is 5.1 km long and has an average grad...

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Signau Grand Prix is a short one day race that tests every skill that a rider can possess. At 78 km in length, it is not particularly long but race tactics often decide the outcome of the race.

The race leaves the small village of Signau and begins to race south through green pastures towards Eggiwil. After 10 km the road begins to climb on the first of two significant climbs. It is 5.1 km long and has an average gradient of 7.6% and tops out at the farm at Hohwurz. The descent off of the climb is easy and fast though riders will have to weary of a couple of sudden, sharp corners towards the end of the descent. At the bottom of the descent, the second and final climb starts immediately. It is 6 km long and averages 5.5%. Once crested the riders will have completed half of the race course. It is at this point when it becomes obvious as to whether the peloton or the breakaway will win. If the sprinters teams feel that their captain has it within him, the work will begin to cut the advantage that the breakaway holds at the point.

The road leads the riders all the way towards Bern, the Swiss capital. IT is here where the effort begins to tell on some of the riders, with several smaller hills that crop up and the longer flat roads of the plains of Switzerland draining the energy of many riders who pushed too hard at the beginning.

The race loops around Bern, visiting all of the historic sites before finishing as a sprint inside the old town. The breakaway often has a tiny advantage as they approach the flame rouge but the winding streets keep them hidden from view. As the riders cross the Rhine for the final time, they enter the old town and wind up the sprint on the ancient cobbles. The old town is built on a slight hill and so anyone launching their sprint too early can see their hopes fade fast as others come off their wheels to take glory right at the very end.