MOTTOLINO / LIVIGNO / ITALY
Mottolino is well known for its dedication to FUN and its willingness to offer top quality service. The Livigno Bike Park was among the first ones that opened in Italy and it’s well known for the large variety of different freeride tracks. At the Mottolino bike park riders can find anything they’d like!
At the famous Mottolino Bike Park you can choose between 13 trails, with something for everyone at three levels of difficulty. The trails are maintained daily by a new maintenance team, ensuring that you enjoy the highest possible levels of safety and fun. The bike park will open its gates on 11th June and will be running until 2nd October. For the operating crew it’s going to be the longest season so far. „This is the first time we are able to stay open this long,” Alessia Galli from Tourist center says.
Riders can rent Scott Gambler bikes at the local rental shop. They also offer hi-end Intense bikes for advanced bikers. This year they are going to finish a new black downhill trail called Sic58. During the opening weekend you can take advantage of a special deal and buy a ticket for two days for the price of one. More at www.mottolino.com.
SAALBACH / AUSTRIA
Saalbach-Hinterglemm Bike Park is simply an incredible destination for mountain biking holidays, with a huge trail network and biker-dedicated accommodation at the Bike-n-Soul hotels. Mountain bike legend Richie Schley has even put his name to it. There are trails for every level of riding ability and for every category of riders’ interest.
According to Bernhard Niederseer from Saalbach Tourist Centre, the legendary Hacklberg Trail, the extra-long X-Line powered by Conti, the beginner-friendly Milka Line, and the easy Blue Line will get a huge face-lift in the form of new jumps, berms and new sections for this season. All the remaining trails will also get a reshape with many other new highlights. Further projects, like new connections and brand new trails, are planned but not ripe for decision at the moment. „That’s why it’s always good to check saalbach.com/freeride,” Bernhard says.
VÅLLASEN / SWEDEN
Vallåsen Bike Park is located in Vaxtorp, Sweden. The bike park is relatively small in size, but it is packed with 10 trails, ranging from beginner to advanced level. The bike park has been gradually adding new trails and terrain features with an emphasis on machine-built jumps and berms. The trails are accessed via ‘T-Bar’ Drag Lift.
This season has been opened with a big Enduro race on second to last weekend in April. You can check it at http://www.enduroswedenseries.se. Even after that the guys up north are rolling every weekend and Thursday afternoon until 9th October. They organize their own downhill cup with four races spread over the course of summer. Last autumn they’ve built a new flow trail, which they describe simply as awesome. „We always strive to have the best hangout and we are working to make it even better this summer,” Kristian “Vilse” Jakobsson says. For more check their homepage at www.vallasenbp.se
KRONPLATZ / ITALY
Established in 2010 by local mountain bikers Michael and Makke, Kronplatz Freeride Bike Park represents the first bike park to be developed in the South Tyrol. It’s a huge collaboration of effort between them, the Plan de Corones cable car AG, the Group management, the landowners, and the local Forestry Inspectorate (Italian Forest Services). You must check out the Freeride Trail Herrnsteig for pure riding pleasure – 7km long and dropping 1300m in to the valley, with flowy sections and stony, dirt and rooty sections – it’s all here!
The season in the bike park opens on 4th June and will run until 9th October. The operators have got the permission to built two new short xc-lines for all mountain or enduro riding. They’re just waiting for a permission concerning a trail from Olang middle station to Valley station. It will be a flow trail, semi hand and machine built. At the end of the season you’re welcomed to come and join the Trailtrophy. Stunning panoramas with view to the main ridge of the Alps and the Dolomites, as well as mountain bike fun are guaranteed because the sometimes natural, sometimes close-to-nature trails offer flow and challenges alike. Mark the weekend from 16th to 18th September. In June, a brand new pumptrack with a dirt line will be opened in Riscone, which is about 200m from Reischach/Kronplatz Valley station. The business hours and season’s other tips are here: www.kronplatz.com/en/kronplatz/tickets-prices/summer/operating-time.
MÉRIBEL / FRANCE
Méribel has become famous since hosting MTB World Cup in 2014. The resort is located in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, at the Heart of 3Valleys, near the town of Moutiers. The bike park offers multiple mountain bike trails, ranging in difficulty from very easy to very difficult. The riders can enjoy eight downhill trails, one four cross track designed specially for the French Cup, ten enduro trails and five cross country trails, with one being specially dedicated to the electric bikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn-YunFk0ag
„We’re planning to build four more new trails this year,” Julien Marty from Meribel Tourist Centre promises. During the season you can join a bunch of interesting events. The first one is the finish of the legendary road cycling competition Dauphiné Libéré on 11th June, with many famous road cyclists such as Froome, Contador, Aru, Rodriguez, Pinot, Bardet, Porte or Van Garderen. In summer you can take part in Les3 Valées Addict Tour, connecting three valleys of the region, a big endure challenge for electric bikes, La MultiBike King of Méribel with many disciplines for all kinds of riders or visit the French DH and XC cup.
For more check: www.meribel.net/bikepark
