In addition, the Steinbergbahn gondola was put into operation for the first time, specifically suited for mountain bikers. Next to these investments, the Out of Bounds Festival and the BIKE Festival were very well received by the visitors, satisfying the responsible Leoganger Bergbahnen and the Saalfelden Leogang Touristik and all partners involved even more. After the end of the bike season last Sunday, the region is now preparing for the winter season, which starts in less than a month.
After six eventful months, the bike season at the Epic Bikepark Leogang ended last weekend. The operators couldn’t be happier: in June an exciting Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup and a number of excellent side events as part of the Out of Bounds Festival created a new record crowd and thrilled 25,000 spectators. In September, the BIKE Festival conjured up a smile on the faces of the visitors and not only because of the three days of bright sunshine. 60 exhibitors and 100 brands captivated the attending gravity scene with the new products from 2020.
For the weekend warriors, the newly titled "The Epic Bikepark Leogang" and the region of Saalfelden Leogang have also done a lot in the recent past. The new additions to the bike park, including the new Steinberg Line by FOX and the Antonius Trail, an investment of around one million euros, were very well received by riders of all levels. In addition to the new routes in the bike park, the Saalfelden Leogang region received two more new, natural and hand-built single tracks; the Schwarzleo Trail and the Forsthof Trail. Moreover, since the beginning of June, the additional Steinbergbahn gondola has been transporting riders comfortably to the starting point of their bike adventure on the Asitz mountain.
Another attraction for young and old is the newly created Riders Playground. Its 5,000 square meter paved pump track, including the jump and dirt line, was completed in July and was built in collaboration with Velosolutions at the Asitzbahn valley station. With 10,000 sqm in total, the Riders Playground is now one of the largest beginners’ parks in Europe.
Downhill World Champs bring the best in the world to Saalfelden Leogang
The outlook for next year is extremely promising: from 4 to 6 September 2020, the world's best downhill riders will compete for the coveted rainbow stripes at the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang. Only one week later, the BIKE Festival will take place for the third time. All visitors will have the ultimate opportunity to put the 2021 products through their paces. The "April, April" campaign offers a unique opportunity to get to know the Saalfelden Leogang region even before the official kick-off into the mountain bike season. Over a period of two weeks, a varied program gives participants winter fun on the mountain and spring feelings in the valley with all the facets that the region has to offer: biking, golf, skiing, hiking and wellness will all be on the calendar. At the traditional fan weekend in October, the shapers would like to thank the visitors of the Epic Bike Park Leogang with a get-together. In addition to discounts and free camping, participants can look forward to more specials.
"Being allowed to host a World Championship again after eight years confirms that we not only run exciting races and provide a good infrastructure, but also that the entire team works perfectly hand in hand. The eyes of the international mountain bike scene will be on us again. With the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championship presented by Mercedes-Benz and other highlights such as the BIKE Festival, we can strengthen our status as a top bike destination once again," says Marco Pointner, managing director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik.
In 2020, the needs of the riders will be further addressed and the range of offers for the visitors will be expanded. "The feedback on our new lines and trails as well as the pump track were very positive, and we are happy about that. For us the feedback of our guests is very important. We try to keep evolving and to offer our visitors the best possible bike area. Also, next year there will be some exciting novelties," promises Kornel Grundner, managing director of the Leoganger Bergbahnen.
