MTB Supertrail by Steffi Marth: Vertigo - a dizzying test of courage in Verbier

Fourcross and downhill expert Steffi Marth looks out of the gondola window and nervously kneads her gloves. At the top of the mountain, it's not off to one of Verbier's bike park trails, but right into the outback. "The Vertigo is brutal," says the Brandenburg native, just before the gondola rumbles into the summit cabin of the Les Ruinettes cable car. And Steffi should know, because she often trains in these Swiss mountains.

The start is a fairly harmless, wide alpine path. For three kilometres, it leads in a south-easterly direction, gently ascending around the mountain flank. Away from the bike park, into the wild high mountain landscape with views of the glaciers on the opposite side of the valley. But at some point this ride ends, the time has come: the Vertigo Trail branches off to the right. Not yet steep, but rough, it cuts across the mountain slope to the right. It's actually a picture of a trail - if it weren't for the boulders. They keep squeezing the path into a tight corset. You have to be careful not to get stuck with your front wheel and pedals. But where the first blades of grass sprout from the barren ground, the path picks up speed noticeably. It soon curves down a wide meadow slope in an almost sandy slalom. Another opportunity to let your eyes wander over the 180-degree panorama, says Steffi, because the first key sections are about to appear with the trees.

Enjoy the panorama again - we're about to start

And indeed, as soon as the first spruce tree casts its shadow, there is a huge rattle in the chassis. Steep, rooty and stony, the trail threads its way into the forest - catches its breath on a short, flatter section of meadow - and then descends with a spirited right-hand bend. The trail drops almost vertically down into the forest. A 100-metre slide on unstable sand that requires courage. Or you can push and trip sideways downhill. Even Steffi is not one to lose her temper. But after that, it quickly becomes clear: the trail doesn't give up much in terms of steepness. 1100 metres downhill in just under three kilometres - if you don't want to push all the way down, you'll have to get used to the gradient.

Steep hairpin bend after steep hairpin bend, the path stretches down a forest gorge. Dust swirls up. In every hairpin bend, the front wheel digs deep into the soft ground, but grips surprisingly well. This makes moving the rear wheel almost child's play. Especially as you don't need much power to lift the rear wheel on the gradient. Once you've found your rhythm and have faded out the steepness a little, the trail really does feel like a rollercoaster in the flickering light and shade of the thinning trees.

Dizziness only sets in again when the path shoots out of the forest far below and now clings to a steep slope to the left. A short traverse, then the path begins to descend in the tightest of bends. A final dramatisation that Alfred Hitchcock would have loved. But what do you mean by finish? The descent doesn't end when you reach the valley road. A few nice trail connections between the villages await you on the roll out of the valley back to Le Châble. The end credits, so to speak, for a truly extraordinary bike thriller.

THE TOUR

• Length: 15 kilometres
• Uphill: 137 metres in altitude
• Downhill: 1576 metres in depth
• Difficulty: Very difficult

The Vertigo Trail is one of the steepest downhill trails in the Alps. Offsetting the rear wheel is part of the basic riding technique on the mostly steep hairpin bends. Nevertheless, there is no danger of falling in the most challenging sections because the trail leads through the forest and not along the edge of the slope. However, those who bravely tackle the gradient will soon realise that the sandy surface, which is often very dusty in summer, offers surprisingly good grip.

Starting point: The tour starts at the valley station of the Les Ruinettes cable car in Verbier. The cable car is open from mid-June to the end of October.
On the return journey, you can also use the lift from Le Châble to Verbier (mid-June to the end of October)

Bikeshop: Backside offers a good workshop, spare parts and hire bikes, www.backsideverbier.ch

Bikepark Verbier: The bike park has 9 downhill trails with a total of 19 kilometres of scope. There are also 18 enduro trails with a total length of 178 kilometres. Info: www.verbierbikepark.ch

Events: The Grand Rais BCVS (formerly Grand Raid Cristalp) has always been one of the biggest marathon events for mountain bikers. Children, teams and e-MTBs now also compete here. Next date: 23-24.8.24

Refreshment tips: There are several good restaurants in Verbier. The best raclette address is Le Caveau, www.theplacetobe.ch

Pizza is available until late in the evening at Chez Martin, www.chezmartin.ch

A little out of town, but very quaint and extremely tasty: La Marmotte, www.lamarmotte-verbier.com

General information at: www.verbier.ch

GPS data for the Vertigo MTB trail

>>You can download the GPS data for the "Vertigo" MTB super trail in Verbiers free of charge here <<

Steffi Marth: "I haven't cracked it yet!"

Freerider Steffi Marth from the former Trek Gravity Girls team is familiar with the Verbier Locals' challenge: if you manage the Vertigo Trail without getting off, you're one of the elite, they say. The Brandenburg native herself has come close several times, but definitely wants to do it again.