"I was there right from the start as a young up-and-coming rider, back when the festival was still held in Reinach," recalls Friedrich Dähler. The former elite rider is now the spokesperson for Bikefestival Basel. In 2007, the event moved to the Schänzli in Muttenz, not far from St. Jakob Park.

"You won't find this infrastructure anywhere else," he explains. What he means by this is that the elite, junior and fun categories need a track, changing rooms, sanitary facilities and parking spaces. The festival must also be easily accessible by bike, and there must be space for exhibition stands and other activities such as trials and big air shows as well as workshops.

Dähler reveals that the Trailcenter Aesch BL has been an issue. "But we also need a cross-country trail. And it is almost impossible to realize this with the current forest law." He reveals that the laps that have been run for years have also repeatedly caused approval issues. "The canton and Basel Tourism, among others, are very keen for the Bike Festival to take place."

Schänzli is no longer available

The Im Schänzli site in Muttenz on the Birs will be partially built over and the rest converted into a park that is as natural as possible. For years, various stakeholders have been discussing what exactly the new use should be. This is one of the reasons why the big bike event was able to take place there for so long. The ground-breaking ceremony for the planned high-rise buildings has taken place. It is not clear whether the construction work in the park will actually start next year, says Dähler. But because the OC can no longer rely on the fact that another event can be held safely, it is pulling the ripcord after the 30th edition.

The organizers have not completely given up on the idea of continuing the Bike Challenge, i.e. the fun race, at another location. "Without the elite race, we can manage with less space," explains Dähler, "but we don't know where we can organize this race at the moment either."

Economically sound

The end of the festival is all the more annoying as the event is doing well economically, according to the OC. "The sponsors, partners and exhibitors are very sorry that this story is coming to an end."

This coming weekend, August 16 and 17, the bike community will meet for the last time in Muttenz on the Schänzli. There will be the Swiss Bike Cup races - with the entire Thömus Maxon Team, Sam Gaze and Anton Cooper, as is so often the case, Dähler lists. There is also the popular Baselbieter Bike Challenge fun race, trial and jump shows as well as the trade fair. "The weather will be fine, and if it gets too hot, you can cool off in the Birs next door," says Friedrich Dähler, promoting the Bikefestival Basel one last time.

www.bikefestival-basel.ch