Alain Rumpf

Hello, I am Alain! I’m 50 and I live in Gryon, in the Swiss Alps. With my wife Lillie and our son Ben. When I was younger, I wanted to change the world; now I just share my life in the mountains to help fellow human beings leave their screens and get outside. I want them to live fun, sometimes challenging experiences that will inspire them to change their lifestyle.

I have been riding my bike in Switzerland and beyond since I was 12. In previous chapters of my life, I was a mediocre elite racer and worked 20 years for the UCI, the world’s cycling governing body. I attended many meetings, wrote and rewrote countless rules and met awesome people. I also ran a bike race in China that everyone has forgotten about now.

In 2014 I lost my job and decided to leave the corporate world to become a professional bike bum. An ambitious career change that sees me work as a bike guide, photographer, writer and cycling tourism consultant for brands, media and destinations.

As part of the ALPSinsight collective, I run Switchback, a website that features our favorite rides in the Alps and beyond: a mix of classic loops and hidden gems we discovered by riding with local friends.

I love to guide like minded cyclists on my favorite roads in Switzerland and beyond. I worked full time for a cycling holiday company for a few years and I now focus on a limited number of custom trips and day rides for private clients (individuals and groups) each summer. The rides below are just examples of what I can organise and I am keen to create tailor made experiences based on my client’s expectations. I always have my camera when riding with clients and enjoy taking photos of them so that they can keep great memories of our rides together. All pictures featured in the rides below were taken by me. You can follow me on Instagram: @aswisswithapulse

Elite cyclist with a twenty year career at the UCI, the world’s cycling governing body.

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