You have to have stood in the roaring crowd if you want to know what a Downhill World Championship in Val di Sole feels like. Trentino feels. As a spectator! Because for the dreaded Black Snake descent, which is over three kilometres long, you really should bring a little more than a party atmosphere and horns to cheer you on. Especially because the best racers in the world make this descent look almost outrageously easy and you run the risk of overestimating yourself after the race...
This is another reason why Val di Sole Bikeland is offering a "Bike Summer Camp" for 11 to 17-year-olds this year in collaboration with Scott. They will train with one or two professionals on the world champion trails of Commezzadura. And the best thing is: a spectator ticket for the World Championships beforehand is included in the camp package for free!
- Date: 31 August - 5 September 2026
- Price including full board: from 690 euros
- Info: valdisolebikeland.com, bikesummercamp.it
Goal: Cycling World Championships 2031
However, Trentino was able to secure a much larger number for the three subsequent major international events last autumn. The province was awarded the contract for the UCI Cycling World Championships for 2031! In other words, the world championships for all bike categories. How and at which spots the individual competitions will be organised will probably become clear in the coming months. However, these three spots have probably already qualified for the selection, as they are already organising high-calibre races in the summer:
1st Enduro World Cup Val di Fassa
Date 26-28 June 2026
Val di Fassa hosted the first ever Enduro World Championships in 2024. This year, the World Cup will be held here again at the end of June. Much to the delight of the enduro elite, as hardly any other venue can compete with this Dolomite backdrop in terms of the length of the trail descents, but above all visually. The advantage for all other bike park users: new trails are created especially for the event and established lines are polished to a shine.
Information about the event and the park: fassa.it
2nd UCI World Championships in Val di Sole
Date: 26-30 August
The fastest racers in all MTB categories will compete in Daolasa in Val di Sole in August: Cross-Country, Downhill, E-MTB and Short Track. The downhill elite in particular have a love-hate relationship with the iconic "Black Snake" descent. Anyone who pulls off a flawless performance here has truly earned the rainbow jersey.
Information about the MTB World Championships or the alternative park at the Tonale Pass: valdisolebikeland.com
3rd World Marathon Championships in San Martino di Castrozza
Date: 10-13 September 2026
In PREMIERO, the long-distance pros will meet for the first time together with the Masters at a world championship. The race course will be laid around the famous Pale di San Martino by none other than Massimo de Bertolis, the only Italian to have ever won a gold medal at a marathon world championship. The now 50-year-old is at home in Premiero and will therefore be conjuring up a hearty course of the very finest quality.
Information about the Marathon World Championships and tours in the region: sanmartino.com
More about biking in Trentino
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor