Team Bolliger Switzerland all set to turn 40 in EWC with its four riders signed

Team Bolliger Switzerland has completed its rider line-up for the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship as it prepares to celebrate turning 40. Established in 1982 by ex-ace racer Hanspeter Bolliger, the Swiss team is now managed by Bolliger’s 29-year-old son Kevin, who will oversee its unbroken participation in the EWC, which stretches to 40 seasons and counting.

For 2022, in addition to new Austrian recruit Nico Thöni, 26, who was announced last month and will partner existing riders Jan Bühn from Germany and Swede Jesper Pellijeff, Bolliger Team Switzerland has secured the services of Dutchman Nigel Walraven, 31, as its reserve rider. Walraven has ridden for the Kawasaki-powered Team Bolliger Switzerland for three seasons and was happy to accept the squad’s offer of a fourth rider role for what will be his final year of EWC action before he ends his riding career.

“We are happy to have Nigel in our team for what will be his final season after some hard crashes in the past,” said Kevin Bolliger. “He’s really happy with the fourth rider position because he really likes to be part of the team and at the end of the season he will stay as rider coach and will prepare everything the riders need during the races in 2023.

Nigel is part of the family and even if we don’t need him to race, his experience will be important, and we know if need him to race he has the speed to do a good job.” With the 2022 EWC calendar featuring three 24-hour races following the addition of the 24H SPA EWC Motos alongside existing twice-round-the-clock races, 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans and the Bol d’Or in Le Castellet, Bolliger admits an even tougher season is in store for his privateer outfit. “It’s already hard with two 24-hour races for the