Professional Swiss mountain bike team, Thömus maxon Swiss Mountain Bike Racing Team, is led by former world champion and Olympic participant Ralph Näf. The team includes world champions Alessandra Keller, Kathrin Stirnemann, Mathias Flückiger, and young professionals Vital Albin and Luke Wiedmann. Since 2018, Ralph Näf’s team has been racing with bikes from Thömus, a Swiss bike company from Oberried near Köniz in Bern.

In partnership with Thömus, we work determinedly, passionately, and innovatively on the success of our team. As a result, our athletes can count on perfectly tuned equipment and specially developed bikes, such as the Lightrider (full suspension) and the Tomcat (hardtail).

Drive specialist, maxon, came on board as a second Swiss partner in 2022. Thömus and maxon are now developing and building a lightweight e-mountain bike for the World Cup training of the “Thömus maxon” riders, which will also be available commercially in the future. The new e-mountain bike will be equipped with the lightweight maxon BIKEDRIVE AIR e-bike system.

In 2017, Ralph Näf founded the RN Racing GmbH and starts his own team project. RN Racing GmbH takes over the team infrastructure from the Stöckli company and the Radon company joins as bike and main sponsor. Thus, the Stöckli Pro Team with Mathias Flückiger, Alessandra Keller, and Jolanda Neff becomes the Radon Factory XC Team. Kathrin Stirnemann joined the team.
The new team is very successful from the very beginning. Highlights in the first year are the second place at the World Cup in Andorra by Mathias, Alessandra becomes second at the U23 European Championship and third at the U23 World Championship and Kathrin becomes World and European Champion in Cross Country Eliminator.
At the end of the year Radon says goodbye to cross country racing after only one year and the team had to search for a new main sponsor.

Through the connections of the team’s communications manager, René Walker, contact was made with the famous Swiss bike brand Thömus. In October 2017, the first talks take place. In December, the whole project is ready and Lukas Flückiger joins the team as a rider.
The team will start the 2018 season under the name Thömus – RN Racing Team.
Together with Thömus and the other partners, a great bike was developed, which is also reflected in the results.
Alessandra was able to win the Short Track World Cup in Andorra and Mathias was also able to celebrate his first World Cup victory in Cross Country in Canada. In addition, both became Swiss champions.

In 2019 the Team starts with the same proven partners and under the name Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team.
With Vital Albin and Ursin Spescha, two promising young athletes will be brought into the team and promoted.
Mathias won the World Cup opener in Albstadt and Alessandra also celebrated World Cup podium finishes. Mathias became vice world champion in Canada. Vital won the bronze medal in the U23 category at the World Championships.
Since the 2019 season, in addition to our world-class athletes, we are increasingly focusing on the incorporation of the winners of tomorrow. The development of a young talent team through the Thömus RN Youngstars as well as the foundation of the Thömus Future Circle support association were the consequence of these considerations.

The 2020 racing season was shortened because of Corona, but the team was nevertheless successful. In addition to podium finishes at international races, Mathias again became vice world champion in Leogang and third at the home European Championships in Ticino. Vital became vice European champion in the U23 category. Another highlight was the double podium with Vital and Alexandre Balmer at the U23 World Cup in Nove Mesto.
Since no races could take place in spring and summer, the team organized a “Tour de Suisse” ride. Start was in the Bike Park Oberried and finish in the Catrina Resort in Disentis. On the way we visited all our Swiss partners within five days.

The year 2021 was a very successful season for the team and the consistent work paid off.
The highlight was certainly Mathias’ silver medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. He also became Swiss Champion, Vice World Champion and Overall World Cup Winner.
A dream season for the team.

Thanks to these results and the excellent work of the entire team, a second strong Swiss partner was found in the form of the motor and drive specialist maxon for the 2022 season and beyond
Together they are developing the Thömus Lightrider E Ultimate, the lightest e-bike in the world, which will help the riders to train even better.
The team was able to celebrate many victories and Alessandra had an outstanding season in which she became World Cup overall winner in the discipline Cross Country and Short Track.
Vital developed in the team of young athletes to a world class rider and reached his first World Cup podium at the Short Track World Cup in Leogang. He also finished in the top ten three times at Cross Country World Cups.
Monique Halter from the Youngstars Team was in a class of her own in the junior category. She won every race she competed in and became Swiss, European and World Champion.

Lars Forster, another top rider, joined the team in 2023. Lars felt at home right from the start and won the World Cup in Leogang. Mathias and Alessandra also celebrated victories at the World Cup in Andorra.
Mathias, Lars and Vital achieved a triple triumph at the Swiss Championships, winning all the medals.
Mathias finished the year as number 1 in the UCI ranking.
At the World Cup, the team often finished on the podium as the best men’s team and won the overall ranking at the end of the year – another milestone in the team’s history.
In total, we were able to claim an impressive 18 victories and celebrate many more podium finishes.
The Youngstars team also continued to be very successful and was able to celebrate the silver medal at the U23 World Championships with Ginia Caluori.

We look forward to continuing this successful team story in 2024…