It was already clear in recent weeks that part of the previous area would no longer be available for the Bike Festival Riva Del Garda 2025. The reason: the use of the "Area Ex Cattoi" was refused by the owner company. The background to this is the ongoing investigation into the owners Heinz Peter Hager and Paolo Signoretti in connection with the Signa Group and financial irregularities, as well as the resulting public pressure that led to the cancellation of the use of the area.

The organizers have taken precautions and organized a new, attractive event area near the lake in cooperation with the municipality of Riva del Garda. All preparations have been made so that exhibitors, visitors and race participants can once again enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Season Opener directly on Lake Garda, and in an even more beautiful setting, under trees.

"As organizers, we are already very much looking forward to the 31st edition of the legendary Bike Festival from 1 to 4 May in Riva del Garda," says Oskar Schwazer, General Manager of the Garda Dolomiti S.p.A. tourism association. "After the great success in 2024, we have a lot of new things to offer visitors, exhibitors and race participants. The logistical adaptation of part of the event site will also help us to celebrate together with 80,000 bike fans even closer to the shores of Lake Garda. We're also really looking forward to testing the industry's latest innovations on the trails and watching the races with the world's elite."

New for exhibitors: the Future Summit

Exhibitors can not only present their latest products to bike fans from all over Europe at the Bike Festival Riva Del Garda, they also have the opportunity to come together three days before the festival at the new Future Summit for a round table on the topic of artificial intelligence in biking, to network and gather information.

Bike Festival Award: applications still possible

Exhibitors can still submit their top models for the Bike Festival Award. The best full-suspension mountain bikes, e-mountain bike fullys, gravel and e-gravel bikes of the 2025 season will be crowned. There will also be a special prize for the bike with the most innovative function. Applications for the Bike Festival Award can be submitted until February 21, 2025 at bikefestivalriva.com/award.

E-MTB Marathon and MTB School with Skill Area as a novelty

Under the motto "Riding Freedom!", the 31st FSA Bike Festival Riva del Garda has numerous attractions in store for bike fans. These include four guided tours a day, which start at the Expo Area and are the perfect way to discover Garda Trentino in the saddle. New this year is the MTB School, a technical session in the brand new Skill Area in Parco Busatte - perfect for bikers of all levels who want to improve their riding technique on the trails. Also new are the e-mountain bike marathon and the even more beautiful route of the Rondo Piccola, the shortest of the three bike marathons. In addition to other races such as the Bosch eMTB Challenge, the Junior Trophy or the Maxxis Gravel Garda Trentino with two gravel trails, visitors can look forward to the heart of the festival: the test area with over 1500 mountain, e-mountain, gravel and other bikes, at Europe's largest outdoor bike expo.

bikefestivalriva.com