Bosch eMTB Challenge in Riva: Fun event opens e-bike season on Lake Garda
EMTB
· 03.03.2023
The Bosch eMTB Challenge supported by Trek takes place as part of the BIKE Festivals Garda Trentino will take place on 30 April 2023. The fun event combines enduro, trail and orienteering races, but is specially designed for riding with electric assistance. We think it's like a casual tour among friends with tricky stages where the stopwatch is running. Fun is guaranteed and with our tips, the opening of the season for e-mountain bikers is a breeze.
The great thing about the E-MTB Challenge is the relaxed atmosphere. And yet there is a real racing feeling and adrenaline rush. Where else can you go on the track with former world champions? You should have a solid riding technique for the stages, but there are no extreme passages. Important: Ride with foresight and smoothly. The E-MTB Challenge is a race on sight, so this helps more than wild hairpin bends. Some of the stages are very tight, and if the route turns out differently than expected, it's easy to lose too much momentum. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief EMTB
E-MTB-Challenge Riva: Tips and tricks
Preparation - Category - Equipment
You can register from March. In 2022, the entry fee was 29 euros. Advanced is for those who already have uphill experience. Additional, more difficult uphill stages are ridden here. A helmet is mandatory, we also recommend knee pads.
At the start - listen carefully and orientate yourself
We start right on the lakeshore. The most important rules are explained again at the start. You have to ride a longer lap according to the map and hold the transponder against the beeper at every checkpoint. Don't forget, otherwise there are time penalties.
The stages - clean is fast
The clock is ticking on the stages. Nevertheless: stay calm. You simply ride on sight without training. In difficult uphill sections there are time penalties for putting your feet down. It's even better to ride slowly and safely than using the Haudruff method. Tip: lower the saddle and air pressure slightly on uphill sections
Finally - pasta party and finish
The tour is completed along the route and guided by the map. Shortly before the end, there is a refreshment stop with a pasta party, then you roll back to Riva and round off the tour with a cold drink and a dip in the lake.
What riding technique do I need? - Expert tip:
The E-MTB Challenge is like an enduro race. On the one hand, you ride a relaxed tour with nice people. On the other hand, you have to perform on the stages - unfortunately more and more uphill - alone and under stress. And that's exactly what I like. My tip: race mode yes, but ride with a head. If your adrenaline gets the better of you and you slip on the second bend, you haven't won anything. - Stefan Herrmann, EMTB riding technique expert
Mate tour - fun challenges in between
When I came to the first Challenge in Riva, I had no experience with nasty uphills. I kept getting stuck on the uphills, and that can make you crazy. But you get better quickly and then it's really fun. And the atmosphere is completely different to a race. It's more like a tour with mates with a few challenges thrown in. - Kathi Kuypers, slopestyler and E-MTB enthusiast
Tips for the Bosch eMTB Challenge from Stefan Schlie, eMTB riding technique expert:
How challenging is the terrain in Willingen compared to Riva?
Stefan Schlie: Woody root passages versus rocky and gravelly passages. Both are demanding, but the routes in the Challenge are never excessively tough.
What is decisive in the uphill stages: riding technique or fitness?
Clearly, if the terrain is steep and technical, then a good uphill technician will have real advantages. If the terrain is less technical, then the overall performance and the total system weight are more decisive.
A tip from an expert for rookies?
In technical passages, adopt a controllable mode. And don't ride too hectically. Strength lies in calm. And always remember: the eMTB Challenge is all about having fun!
The sponsors of the BIKE Festival in Riva
