2024 XTERRA Switzerland Preview: Victory in the Valley

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VALLÉE DE LA BRÉVINE, SWITZERLAND — XTERRA Switzerland is set to make its second appearance in the heart of the Neuchâtel mountains for the 11th stop of the 2024 XTERRA EMEA Tour on June 22, 2024.

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Set against the backdrop of Swiss landscapes, this location offers an iconic setting for off-road trail sports. Situated close to the towns of Le Locle, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, and neighboring France, the course is ideally positioned for both local and international competitors.

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The event offers a €7,500 Elite Prize Purse and provides 28 World Championship slots across a wide range of age groups. Additionally, the Full Distance race will also host the Swiss National Cross Triathlon Championship, blending national competition with the global challenge of the 2024 XTERRA World Tour. 

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Course Description:

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Swim (1.5K): The swim takes place in Lac des Taillères, located in the La Brévine valley in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Known as the “Siberia of Switzerland” for being one of the coldest lakes in the country, it freezes in winter, often becoming a hub for ice skating. Participants will face a single 1.5K loop in this famously cool, flat lake, challenging the even most seasoned athletes on a seasonably colder than average first weekend of summer.

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Bike (34K): Following the swim, the bike course presents a long and demanding 34K ride. This segment is far from just a transition; it can turn into a significant battle, especially if conditions are muddy. Competitors will navigate two loops that traverse varied terrain, including forests, pastures, and clear paths, with a segment that crosses into France.

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Run (9K): The trail run concludes the triathlon. While enjoyable, athletes should conserve energy as the course is fast-paced with two long and gradual climbs to test already-tired legs. It features two loops along the lake and through the forest, totaling 9K.

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Elite Start List

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(World Ranking – Name, NAT)

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Women

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1 - Solenne Billouin, FRA

32 - Romane Cizeron, FRA

42 - Camille Jobard, FRA

NR - Ladina Scherzinger-Buss, CHE

NR - Anna-Lena Theisen, DEU

NR - Lucie Van Der Schalk, AUS

NR - Bianca Morvillo, ITA

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Men

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22 - Xavier Dafflon, CHE

38 - Lucas Van Deyzne, BEL

51 - Guillaume Meunier, FRA

65 - Diego Ras, ITA

70 - Pierre Simeon, FRA

72 - Sam Teller, USA

76 - Samuel Jud, CHE

98 - Vivien Monnet, FRA

106 - Joeri Deleebeeck, BEL

108 - Tim Van Daele, BEL

132 - Bart Cooymans, NLD

186 - Thomas Sauser, CHE

NR - Valentin Rouvier, FRA

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Women’s Race Preview

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The French compatriots and seasoned professionals, Romane Cizeron, Camille Jobard and Solenne Billouin have arrived in neighboring Switzerland ready to showcase their dominance over this race. 

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Romane Cizeron has had a solid 2024 season so far. At Stop 4 of the XTERRA World Cup in Belgium on June 8, she finished 14th. In May, Cizeron competed at XTERRA Oak Mountain, securing 13th place in the Short Track Triathlon on May 19, and 11th place in the Full Distance Triathlon on May 18. Earlier in the year, she placed 16th at XTERRA Greece Vouliagmeni in the Full Distance Triathlon in April. 

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Camille Jobard's consistency and sheer determination have been prominently displayed during the 2024 XTERRA World Tour, especially at XTERRA Nouvelle Aquitaine in May. Here, she overcame some of the season's most challenging conditions, navigating a course made exceptionally tough and muddy by adverse weather, to secure a 2nd place finish. A week later, Jobard achieved a 10th place finish at XTERRA Weston Park in the UK, competing in a notably strong women’s field. Her performance continued with an 18th overall finish at XTERRA Belgium earlier this month at the 4th stop on the 2024 XTERRA World Cup series.

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Looking ahead, Jobard is preparing to compete in XTERRA Switzerland, a new venue for her, distinct from the courses where she placed 8th in both 2019 and 2021. With high anticipation for the race, she is eager to take on the challenge, stating, "I am excited to race at XTERRA Switzerland because I have never raced this course before. I decided to come with my team, Team Volt, to discover a new place. We've spoken with local athletes who have said many great things about these trails.”

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Solenne Billouin's accolades are indeed impressive, with her reign as the current two-time XTERRA World Champion and leading the way in the 2024 XTERRA World Cup points standings. With only three stops remaining in Quebec, the Czech Republic, and Trentino, Italy, she is arguably the best off-road triathlete in the world. Her strategic approach earlier this month at XTERRA Belgium led to a second-place finish where she remarked, "I surprised myself a lot in Belgium. I had a good plan to not race for the win, just go progressive. It gave me a good result and some precious points." Billouin was also contending with an illness during the race, which tempered her usual aggressive start, stating, "I really didn’t like to race while being sick. I couldn't take the risk of going hard from the start."

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After taking a valuable week off to recover, Billouin is looking forward to competing in Switzerland, a location "quite close to home," using the race as part of a crucial training block in preparation for XTERRA Quebec in July. This season, Billouin has already claimed victories at the first two stops of the XTERRA World Cup in Taiwan and Greece and secured a win in the season's first Short Track race at XTERRA Oak Mountain, while finishing 2nd in the Full Distance races at Stops 3 and 4 in Oak Mountain and Belgium.

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This Saturday, expect Billouin to lead the pack with Romane Cizeron and Camille Jobard pushing hard to work with her as they hope to set a blistering pace at the front of the women's pack.

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Men’s Race Preview

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Xavier Dafflon (CHE) is ready to host his fellow competitors from around the world in his home race. He has shown solid performances throughout the 2024 XTERRA season beginning with a 12th place finish at XTERRA Greece Vouliagmeni in April. He built on this result with a stronger performance at XTERRA Lake Garda in May, where he achieved 5th place. Most recently, Dafflon continued his consistent form by securing 9th place at XTERRA Belgium on June 8th.

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Dafflon has also consistently excelled in XTERRA Switzerland over the years. His noteworthy performances include finishing 6th in 2018, improving to 5th place in 2019, and continuing his upward trajectory with a 4th place finish in 2021. His most impressive result came in 2022, where he claimed victory. 

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He is the favorite to win in the men’s race and also the title of Swiss National Cross Triathlon Champion, as both events run concurrently during the Full Distance race at XTERRA Switzerland on Saturday. Dafflon shared his personal connection to the event, stating, “XTERRA Switzerland is special to me because it is in Switzerland. To tell the truth, La Brévine is a secluded place, however, it is a peaceful place in the middle of beautiful nature.”

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He also emphasized the unpredictability of the competition, saying, “At the start of each new XTERRA competition, the counters are reset to zero, we should never underestimate the effort, nor any competitors.”

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Dafflon's competition includes Pierre Simeon (FRA), who shared, “When I started triathlon, Xavier (Dafflon) was already a very good athlete on the XTERRA circuit, yet he has always been approachable and friendly. On the track, he is very strong on the bike.” Simeon demonstrated his potential with a 20th place finish at XTERRA Belgium and a more impressive 6th place at XTERRA Weston Park in May.

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Guillaume Meunier (FRA) also competed in XTERRA Belgium, placing 22nd and achieving a 6th place finish at XTERRA Switzerland in 2023. Dafflon commented on both Simeon and Meunier, saying, “Guillaume Meunier and Pierre Simeon are consistent, and Pierre is especially improving fast. I am just waiting for their 'stunt' that will come sooner or later.”

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Another notable contender in this battle at the front of the men’s race is Diego Ras (ITA), who secured a 36th place finish at the 2023 XTERRA World Championship and improved to 9th at XTERRA Lake Garda in 2024. Samuel Jud (CHE) is expected to contend for a podium position at the Swiss National Cross Triathlon Championship, while Sam Teller (USA) continues his World Tour with his fifth race of the 2024 season and the first outside of the four stops he’s raced so far in the XTERRA World Cup, positioning him in strong contention for a podium place in Switzerland.

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The weekend of competition encompasses 10 races, ranging from the Full Distance Triathlon and Duathlon to Kids Races, as well as Sprint and Super Sprint Triathlons. These latter events form part of the new XTERRA Youth Tour, serving as qualifying races for youths aged 14-19 to earn their slots to the inaugural XTERRA Youth Tour World Championship  under the Dolomites in Trentino, Italy on September 29. The day will conclude with a DJ and dinner party on Saturday evening following the Elite, Age Group, and relay competitions.