The traffic noise cuts off like a pair of scissors. A moment ago we were winding our way through the heavy traffic on the Brenner motorway. After the Trento-Nord exit, we squeezed our way through the roundabout. We crawled through a narrow gorge on the winding Gardesana state road. Listened to the engine capacity concerts of wannabe moto GP drivers in soot-blackened tunnels. And now suddenly the tunnel spits us out in another world.
The calm is unreal. As if Terlago were in the eye of a storm: Less than a quarter of an hour's drive separates the village of 2,000 souls from the bustling provincial capital of Trento in the east. Just 30 kilometres to the south is the northern shore of Lake Garda, where thousands of bikers flock weekend after weekend. And to the north of Terlago, just on the other side of the Paganella massif, a freeride area of international standing has established itself around Andallo. The tranquil village of Terlago lies at the intersection of these axes, and the high plateau in the upper Valle dei Laghi has remained largely untouched by tourism to this day.
Why is that? Luca Bortolotti from the local bike club Rideaway thinks he knows: The only thing Terlago still lacks to become a top-class mountain biking destination, says the bike guide, is the right infrastructure. No lifts, no park. At least that's what some organic bikers might be missing, as the gradients are not always merciful. E-mountain bikers, on the other hand, often find their happiness where it gets difficult for muscle bikers. Beyond that, Terlago has everything that makes a first-class biking area: "Such a density of single trails," Luca enthuses, "is hard to find in the rest of the Alps." And you can catch up with the prey quickly. Because "the transfers between the trails are short and can be bridged in no time". What's more, you don't have to climb dramatically high altitudes to reach the best trails. "But the descents all feel much longer than the 300, maximum 400 metres in altitude that they cover."
You can download the complete Terlago area guide with these tours from EMTB 4/2019 as a PDF below the article. The guide costs 1.99 euros.
- TOUR 1: Soprasasso (Distance 19 km | Uphill 630 m | Riding time net 2:15 h) - Requirements: riding technique medium, fitness light to medium, battery 1 x 500 Wh
- TOUR 2: Doss Alto & Monte Mezzano (Distance 26.3 km | Uphill 990 m | Riding time net 2:50 h) - Requirements: medium to difficult riding technique, medium fitness, battery1 x 500 Wh
- TOUR 3: Enduro 2013 (Distance 29.2 km | Uphill 1150 m | Riding time net 3:15 h) - Requirements: medium to difficult riding technique, medium fitness, battery1 x 500 Wh
