The 4th edition of this exciting e-MTB festival, scheduled for May 27 and 28, will have none other than the legendary Hans “No Way” Rey, one of the best exponents of the most authentic trail biking. Many initiatives are planned, from the national e-enduro championship to nature tours and food and wine tastings. Press release.
The fourth edition of the Valtellina Ebike Festival has been presented
Territory, nature and authentic and genuine flavors seasoned with a little adrenaline. The Valtellina Ebike Festival, scheduled for Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May 2023, confirms its winning formula, but also presents several new features including Hans Rey as special guest.
Il Valtellina Ebike Festival it is a weekend on an electric mountain bike, with different initiatives in terms of difficulty and spirit, a party in company, alpine flavors and naturalistic and food and wine tours with competitive competitions in the background on the paths of the Orobie Alps.
The festival – scheduled for Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May – and its itineraries were officially presented in a conference held in Morbegno, inside the suggestive complex of Sant’Antonio, a former Dominican convent from the 15th century, which will also be of the festival during the event.
The event’s objective is to introduce cycling tourism enthusiasts to the Lower Valtellina, one of the most spectacular areas in the Alps, endowed with great natural and historical beauties and incredibly suitable trails for mountain bike enthusiasts of all abilities. A land rich in history, culture and centuries-old food and wine traditions, such as the vine grown on the terraces or the particular processing of Bitto cheese. A past that has also bequeathed an incredible heritage of itineraries whose nerve center is the Alpine city of Morbegno, the Valtellina capital of good food and good living.
THE INITIATIVES
Like every year, the queen initiative is the Festival Ride, a great randonnée of 35 kilometers on a route that involves vineyards, ancient alpine villages and paths in the woods. A tour of medium difficulty that leads to the discovery of splendid panoramas of the Lower Valtellina up to Lake Como.
The tour has also been confirmed Taste of Valtellina, a trip in company on an easy route with little difference in altitude, for everyone, with stops at various tasting points set up in prestigious locations: ancient palaces, historic cellars and an abbey from the year 1000 immersed in the woods. On the menu the typical dishes of the valley, such as apples, cheeses, bresaola and good wine.
Among other initiatives, the naturalistic tour Val Masino and the Enchanted Forestwhich leads the participants inside one of the most suggestive naturalistic areas of the Valtellina which, thanks to its beauty, has earned the nickname of “Yellowstone Italiana”.
Increasing the level of difficulty we find the Trail Experience, an enduro-style adventure on the Orobie Alps trails dedicated to those who know how to ride their bike with confidence on any type of mountain terrain. Here the touch of folklore is served by a lunch in the mountain pastures based on polenta and sausages in the company of the local Alpine group.
THE COMPETITION
The big news of 2023 is represented by the presence of a stage of the circuit E-Enduroa highly anticipated challenge, in which the main Italian riders take part, which will bring this competition back to the Lombard Alps.
The races take place over the entire weekend starting from the e-bike village and special stages on the more technical and adrenaline-pumping trails close to Morbegno which will naturally be revealed to the athletes only at the last minute. Registration is now open on the competition website.
The race routes, like the other initiatives of the Valtellina Ebike Festival, are designed and prepared by 360 Valtellina Bikea local association with more than 150 members that takes care of the recovery and maintenance of the paths of the Lower Valtellina in order to share the passion for mtb.
LO SPECIAL GUEST
The Valtellina Ebike Festival grows every year and aims to become a major event for e-mtb enthusiasts not only within national borders. To sanction this desire for internationality of the event, but also of the entire territory, there will be the presence of Hans Rey. Trial-bike world champion several times and thanks to his feats he has become a true legend of cycling. Registered among the Mtb Hall of Famers, Hans is a great lover of the Valtellina and has participated in the development of important projects such as the Alta Rezia tour and the Livigno bike resort. Festival participants will be able to pedal and have fun alongside him during the Trail Experience tour.
E-BIKE VILLAGE e SPONSOR
In addition to the numerous initiatives on the trails, the center of the festival will be L’eBike Village located close to the beautiful medieval historic center of Morbegno: an exhibition village where you can see new products for cycle tourism, but also where you can take the little ones to learn mountain-biking techniques, watch spectacular freestyle bmx tours and test the new models of hybrid and electric cars.
Main partners of the Valtellina Ebike Festival 2023 are the title sponsor MET Helmetsa world leader in the production of cycling helmets headquartered in Morbegno and the Consortium for the Protection of Valtellina Apples, which aims to protect and promote a product that belongs to the great excellence of the territory. Among the other partners: Komoot, Schwalbe, the Valtellina Social Dairy.
To pull the strings of the event an ad hoc committee where the main components are, as well as the 360 Valtellina Bike group, the outdoor marketing agency Days Off involved in developing and communicating projects based on outdoor activities, e E-bike worlda large store in Morbegno focused on the sale of mountain bikes and electric bicycles.
VALTELLINA AND CYCLING TOURISM
The Valtellina Ebike Festival is part of a context that aims to strengthen the Valtellina area as one of the main Italian destinations dedicated to cycle tourism enthusiasts. A territory in constant evolution that is investing in the creation of routes and services. An example of this is theHigh Via del Bitto currently under construction, a high-altitude cycle path of over 90 kilometers that connects the main pastures of the mountains above Morbegno, or the path Orobikeando which wants to connect, passing through the San Marco Pass, the Bergamo Orio al Serio airport with Tirano and the Alta Valtellina. In the background the 2026 Winter Olympic Games which will bring great media visibility to Valtellina.
The event is supported by the Lombardy Region, the Province of Sondrio, Bim dell’Adda, the Morbegno Mountain Community, Valtellina Tourism, the Orobie Valtellinesi Park, the Municipality of Morbegno and the other municipalities in the district.
Valtellina, its itineraries and its flavors await you at Morbegno on 27 and 28 May on the occasion of Valtellina Ebike Festival. All the information and the possibility to register are present on the site www.valtellinaebikefestival.com.
– Website Valtellina Ebike Festival
Layout and graphics: Robert Chiappa Text and photos: © Valtellina Ebike Festival (Press office)