«The Diavolezza is our bank»

A hint of World Cup excitement already hangs over the Engadine in autumn. While hikers are still out and about in the valley below, Switzerland's best female skiers are already racing across the snow up on Diavolezza. They're testing, fine-tuning, and optimizing – and a quick visit with Beat Tschuor, the women's head coach, further increases anticipation for the season opener.

The view from the gondola could hardly be more beautiful. The slopes may still be in the shade, but the cloudless sky promises another golden autumn day. It's quiet at the Diavolezza mountain station – no crowds, no noise. "This peace and quiet is priceless," says Tschuor. "Thanks to the exclusivity we enjoy here, we can work undisturbed. It's no comparison to Saas-Fee or Ushuaia, where over a hundred teams train simultaneously."