Trento hosted the presentation of the new UCI Mountain Bike World Cup event in Val di Sole. The event will hold 15 races throughout 4 days and will take place in Daolasa from June 29th to July 2nd. It will be carbon neutral and will be broadcast live on Eurosport
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The home of Italian mountain biking is about to come alive once again for the highly anticipated off-road summer event. The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series is currently in full swing and, for the world’s top athletes, the Val di Sole Bikeland event holds great significance for their season. It’s eagerly anticipated by both the athletes and by the numerous fans who bring their overwhelming – and loud – enthusiasm to Daolasa di Commezzadura. That's why the thrilling official video for the 2023 edition is dedicated to the sounds of Val di Sole.
It will be the first time in Trentino for the new UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series organizer ESO Sport-Warner Bros Discovery, which has added an extra day of racing in Daolasa di Commezzadura (Trentino, northern Italy). From June 29th to July 2nd, 2023, the Italian capital of fat tires will welcome celebrated world champions for four days of high-level competition, featuring superstars like Nino Schurter and Loic Bruni in addition to Italian athletes, from the Braidot twins and Martina Berta in cross-country and short track, to Eleonora Farina, Veronika Widmann, and the new Trentino sensation, Christian Hauser, in downhill.
The highlights of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Val di Sole were presented at a press conference held on Monday, June 19th, at the headquarters of Trentino Marketing in Trento, together with the other UCI Mountain Bike World Series event hosted by Trentino, the Enduro World Cup in Val di Fassa.
The press conference was attended by Trentino's Tourism and Sports Assessor Roberto Failoni, Trentino Marketing's CEO Maurizio Rossini, the Mayor of Commezzadura Ivan Tevini, Trentino Italian Olympic Committee President Paola Mora, Val di Sole Tourism Board and Grandi Eventi Val di Sole President and Director, respectively Luciano Rizzi and Fabio Sacco. Among the speakers, the Italian Cycling Federation President Cordiano Dagnoni and Eso Sport's Chief Executive Officer Chris Ball also attended in video-conference.
THE NEW FORMAT: NINE RACES IN FOUR DAYS
Calling it a long race weekend is now an understatement. With the introduction of the U23 short track races, the round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Val di Sole will consist of four thrilling days of intense racing featuring a total of nine races as part of the new format by ESO Sport-Warner Bros Discovery.
The three world cup disciplines scheduled to take place in the first and only UCI Bike Region in Italy remain the same: downhill, cross-country, and short track. This year’s event gets a boost with the addition of four-cross, and the classic night-time event, the 4X Pro Series.
The schedule for the Val di Sole World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 29th, with the junior downhill qualifications from 14:15 to 15:30. Following that, there are two U23 short track races on schedule (women at 17:30 and men at 18:15), which are also a new addition to the world cup. That evening, the exciting four-cross, including the 4X Pro Tour qualifications, start at 21:00.
Early afternoon on Friday, June 30th, the Black Snake will take center stage with two junior downhill races (women at 13:15 and men at 14:00), and elite qualifications starting at 15:30. Later in the day, Daolasa di Commezzadura will once again become the short track venue, this time dedicated to the elite categories. The elite women will hit the track at 17:45, followed by the men at 18:30. Both are aiming for valuable points and the best start positions for Sunday’s cross-country race. The day at Daolasa will conclude at 21:00 when the daredevils of the 4X Pro Tour showcase their stunts under the spotlight.
Saturday, July 1st, is the day of reckoning on the Black Snake, the true temple of world-class downhill. After the morning semi-finals, the elite women and men will hit the racecourse at 13:00 and 14:00 respectively to take part in a career-defining race. The afternoon is dedicated to fun for children. The Mini World Cup of Cross-Country is scheduled for 17:00 for the second consecutive year.
As tradition dictates, cross-country will close out the Val di Sole world cup program on Sunday, July 2nd. The schedule includes the women's U23 race at 08:30, followed by the men's U23 race at 10:30. The elite women take to the start at 13:00, while the elite men toe the line at 15:30. The man to beat in the cross-country event will undoubtedly be Swiss ace, Nino Schurter.
Throughout the four-day event in Val di Sole, there will also be abundant music and entertainment, thanks to additional ancillary events. On Friday, June 30th, once four-cross winds down, the One Horse Band will perform, followed by the Val di Sole Bikeland Party with DJ Ale Costa. On Saturday, July 1st, the ancillary events program will kick off at 16:00 with the Bikeflip Show, followed by the RockaBike Fest at 21:30, and a Kate Klein – DJ set at 24:00.
ANOTHER CARBON NEUTRAL EVENT
2022 was an important year for Val di Sole Bikeland in terms of environmental sustainability. Both the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series, which marked its grand finale in Daolasa di Commezzadura, and the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Vermiglio achieved carbon neutrality through collaborations with Climate Partner.
In anticipation of the new edition, the organizing committee has renewed and strengthened its commitment to reduce the event's carbon footprint, and to further improve upon the accomplishments of 2022. Unavoidable emissions will be offset by supporting an environmental project in Laos, southeast Asia.
Furthermore, Val di Sole has once again obtained the Eco-Eventi Trentino certification. Among other measures taken, Val di Sole is a partner of Dolomiti Energia, which will provide 100 percent renewable energy. Additionally, water in the Val di Sole valley will be freely available to all event participants via fountains in the parterre area, thus eliminating the need for plastic bottles.
TV - LIVE ON EUROSPORT
The global mountain biking audience will be able to watch the Val di Sole world cup live thanks to broadcasts on Eurosport, GCN, Discovery, and various national outlets.
TICKETS ON SALE AT VALDISOLEBIKELAND.COM
For those who want to experience the atmosphere of an extraordinary sports weekend in Val di Sole in person, tickets for the world cup weekend are available for purchase at www.valdisolebikeland.com.
Tickets for Saturday, July 1st (downhill races), and Sunday, July 2nd (cross-country races) are available for €20 plus service fees. An all-inclusive pass for both days is available for €30 plus service fees. The tickets do not include access to the ski lifts. Venue access on Thursday, June 29th, and Friday, June 30th, is free.
For more information, visit www.valdisolebikeland.com.
