As the snow retreats to the last shady corners of the Leoganger Steinberge mountains and spring is finally here, the shape crews in Saalfelden Leogang have already been working on the trails for a while. Their goal: to get the lines & trails in the Epic Bikepark Leogang and the single trails in the bike region ready for the opening on 12 May 2023. The brand new AlteSchmiede Trail, which promises 3.5 kilometers of finest single trail action, will be added for the 2023 season for the first time. Another treat for mountain bike guests in Austria’s biggest bike region is the Online Bikebonus, which promises a dynamic price system and offers discounts if you book early enough. The hosting of the mountain bike world cup in the disciplines of cross-country (XCO & XCC), downhill and for the first time enduro places the Saalfelden Leogang region as a “super event” in the calendar of the newly formed UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Pure mountain bike fun on the AlteSchmiede Trail The brand-new AlteSchmiede single trail, which is expected to be open from the end of July, will lead mountain bikers over approx. 3.5 kilometers through natural sections of forest and alpine meadows, wowing riders with incredible views of the imposing Leoganger Steinberge massif. Flowy turns, north shores and easy technical passages alternate on the hand-built single trail in a smart way. The trail head of the most recent member of the Saalfelden Leogang single trail family can be found via the Asitz Trail towards Saalbach Hinterglemm, from which it branches off to the right after around 350 meters – easily accessible via the Asitz or Steinberg lift. If you’re in for some rougher action afterwards, you can continue with the challenging Matzalm Trail via the forest road at the end of the AlteSchmiede Trail. Online Bikebonus promises bike tickets at a reduced rate thanks to a dynamic price system From summer 2023 onwards, the Online Bikebonus gives Bikepark Leogang visitors who book early in advance the opportunity to secure both single-day and multi-day tickets at a lower price. While there is a dynamic price system online, fixed prices apply at the cable car ticket offices onsite. The bike ticket guarantees unlimited access to all cable cars in Austria’s biggest bike region Leogang, Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn. Sustainability and environment protection: "Clean the Trail Days" and "Roll Off instead of Tear Off" How important sustainability and environment protection are to Saalfelden Leogang is not only shown by the minimally invasive built trails, which are laid out entirely by hand and without heavy machinery, but also in two special campaigns this year. The "Clean the Trail Days" in the Epic Bikepark Leogang are intended to set an example for the protection of nature and species. The employees of the bike rescue service, the guides of the bike schools and the athletes of the Bike Club Leogang will clean the trails together with the bike community after the end of the bike day. The "Clean the Trail Days" will take place on three dates: 24 June, 29 July and 19 August. The partners and sponsors of the Epic Bikepark Leogang will support the events with smaller activities. In the spirit of environment protection, the bike park is also continuing the “Roll Off instead of Tear Off” campaign. With its partner 100%, the Epic Bikepark Leogang offers a free film for the roll-off system on rainy days, as well as a 20% discount on new 100% goggles with the roll-off system from Sport Mitterer – so you have a clear view even in bad weather guaranteed! "Super event" as part of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series After two successful mountain bike double header world cups in 2021 and 2022 in the cross-country and downhill disciplines, the Saalfelden Leogang region and the Epic Bikepark Leogang are celebrating a very special premiere this year: in 2023, as part of the newly formed UCI Mountain Bike World Series, Austria's largest bike region will not only welcome the world’s best cross-country and downhill riders to compete for the World Cup victory, but also for the first time the Enduro athletes, who will determine their World Cup winners in the Epic Bikepark Leogang and in Saalbach Hinterglemm. Tickets for this all-weekend mountain bike “super event” are already available and highly sought after, so you better be quick! "Responding to the enormous number of visitors and the positive feedback from our bike guests, we have again invested in bike infrastructure and created attractive offers for loyal guests. We are particularly looking forward to the opening of the new AlteSchmiede Trail for the second half of the season. This year’s highlight event in will certainly be the super event of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series.” – Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen
From 15 to 18 June, the international cycling community will once again be looking forward to Saalfelden Leogang – and to a spectacular premiere as part of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series: For the first time in these days a “super-event” will be held. In addition to the World Cup decisions in downhill and cross country, the world's best enduro athletes will also receive the crown. The organisers recently gave an insight into the new format at a press conference. When a world champion and overall World Cup winner, a European champion and a junior world champion appear at a press conference as concentrated domestic mountain bike competence in the triple pack, it means that it is not long before the first highlight of the season, the World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang. “The fact that we are able to welcome Vali Héll, Mona Mitterwallner and Andi Kolb today shows the importance of the World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang,” said organizers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner. This year, the World Cup returns to Pinzgau as a “super-event” by the international cycling federation and under the name “UCI Mountain Bike World Series”. The novelty? For the first time, in addition to the downhill and cross country athletes, the Enduro and E-Enduro riders will take to the tracks and compete for valuable points. The newcomers to the boat, the Enduro and E-Enduro riders, are on the turn on Thursday, June 15. For them, it involves a total of six stages through Austria’s largest bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn: “After two World Championships and eleven years of World Cup, it was the next step to bring the Enduro World Cup to the region. Enduro fits the bike region like a fist to the eye”, explains organizer Kornel Grundner: “But we knew we wanted to tackle this new dimension together in our network as Austria’s largest bike region. That’s why we are glad that Saalbach Hinterglemm did not hesitate for a moment”, says Grundner. Saalbach Hinterglemm will host three of the six stages. The start and finish of the event are at the Epic Bikepark Leogang: “Together we are proud to be able to host this ‘super event’ in the region,” says Manuel Hirner, Managing Director of the Saalbach Hinterglemm mountain railways. Five competitions – three disciplines – one spectacular bike event “The restructuring within the International Cycling Federation brings great opportunities. The World Series is supposed to take mountain biking to the next level. We expect 1,200 athletes and their entourage. This is a dimension that is often underestimated in Austria,” says organiser Marco Pointner. The riders at the UCI Mountainbike World Cup are whipped up every year by more than 21,500 spectators at the tracks, which make the event with incredible atmosphere against an impressive natural backdrop the highlight event of the mountainbike calendar. A fact that also makes the local mountain bike stars look at the home World Cup with some nervousness, especially local matador Valentina Héll, who has so far struggled with her Leogang performances: “For me, it’s the fourth start. I’ll try to approach the World Cup a little differently this year, to keep my nerves in check. You learn and mature.” Mona Mitterwallner also has an open account with Leogang: “Last year I was unfortunately shot down at the start. I was then able to fight my way to the front to some extent, but it was of course very annoying. This year I want to approach things with a little more calmness, because nervousness only inhibits me. I have much more experience and I am more confident.” Andi Kolb looks at his performance in Leogang in a completely different way last year: “What happened in Leogang, I will never forget. Fifth place was a start to an unforgettable rest of the season. Leogang is special for us local athletes. The credo remains: not to be nervous and have fun.” Saalfelden Leogang 2028 world champion again And a major event is already casting its shadow: from 30 August to 3 September 2028, Saalfelden Leogang will host a World Championship for the third time after 2012 and 2020: “I’m really looking forward to the World Cup 2028, you never know what happens in sport, but then I’d be 26 and actually still at a good age”, knows local matador Vali Héll. Epic Bikepark Leogang starts the season Starting on May 12, the bikers at Epic Bikepark Leogang will start a long bike season. In addition to the great offer in the bike park, the infrastructure in Saalfelden Leogang is continuously being developed. At the end of July 2023, there will be a new trail, the “AlteSchmiede Trail”, which should score with advanced families. Another new highlight in Austria’s largest bike region is the online Bikebonus, which promises a dynamic pricing system and the occasional bargain if you book accordingly early.
The 2022 bike season in Saalfelden Leogang is now just a great memory. On November 3, the last mountain bikers rolled through the trails of the Epic Bikepark Leogang. This leaves the Asitz to the hikers, who will be able to enjoy the golden autumn weather until the season changes again and snow begins to fly. It is the perfect time to recap the incredible 21st bike season while giving a glimpse into what the future holds. For us, the 2022 season was littered with highlights, starting with perfectly manicured trails and smooth lines. Then, mid-June saw the double World Cup take place. With it, we saw Bikepark Leogang’s fan community grow as the annual number of visitors increased again. In addition to the excitement of the world cups, a raffle with an epic prize, the "Clean the trail days," and the BIKE Festival provided plenty of variety and entertainment. A successful year will lead to big things in the next While proudly looking back on this year, Leogang can already begin looking forward to the next: "We have been able to welcome so many smiling faces this year in the valley. Our builders have really stepped on the gas, and the lines and trails were always in the best possible condition. A big thank you to everyone who visited us because they are the ones who make our bike park epic. For 2023, we definitely have one or two exciting innovations in the pipeline again in terms of the trails, but currently, we can't reveal any more specific details. The bike park will be open again in 2023 from May to November," reports Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen. As in the past, the large summer raffle and the "Clean the trail days" were well received. On three separate days this season, bike park guests were invited to join the bike rescue team, bike school guides, and Leogang's bike club athletes in cleaning anything that did not belong on the trails. Again, numerous hard-working helpers combed the mountain removing any waste. At the end of the day, all volunteers were invited to enjoy a pizza dinner. The raffle also saw increased participants this year, as riders scoured the trails for clues towards the "Epic Bike Package". At the season's end, one lucky rider won the epic package and was awarded products such as, a Scott Gambler, a large EVOC travel set, a GoPro Hero 10, and numerous other products from long-standing partners of the bike park. Leogang sees double World Cup excitement For the second time, Saalfelden Leogang and the Epic Bikepark hosted a UCI double World Cup. For the second time in a row, the winners in both cross-country World Cup races were Loana Lecomte and Mathias Flückiger. However, it's not just the victors who had a memorable time in Pinzgau. 21,500 spectators created an excellent atmosphere for all riders, staff, and mountain biking fans. Just as in years past, the downhill race once again offered gripping drama. Local hero Vali Höll showed nerves, and crashed dashing her hopes of the top step. She would finish in sixth place. On the men's side, Andreas Kolb was able to channel his nerves and became the first Austrian man to stand on a downhill World Cup podium. For Kolb, who regularly trains at the Leogang’s bike park, it was the start of an outstanding season. He secured the European Champion title and four more podiums from five World Cup races. As a result, the Austrian ended his season in fourth place in the overall World Cup standings. On June 15 to 18, 2023, a "super event" from the newly organized Mountain Bike World Cup will be held for the first time in Austria's largest biker region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. In addition to downhill and cross-country races (XCC and XCO), riders of the Enduro World Series (EWS) will also be battling to take home top honors in this massive event. If you want to look further into the future, you can also get excited about the third UCI Mountain Bike World Championship in Pinzgau. From August 30 to September 3, 2028, Saalfelden Leogang will once again become the global center of mountain biking when the battle for the rainbow jerseys in the disciplines of downhill, XCO, XCC, and E-MTB enters a new round. "We are delighted with the season and events in Saalfelden Leogang. Mountain biking is booming more than ever, and we have the right offers for established, and new fans of our beloved sport – the increase in visitors reflects this. We were able to hold events such as the Double World Cup and the BIKE Festival again, as usual, and with the Mountain Bike World Cup and the World Championships in the coming years, we were again able to secure more highlights for our guests. We will see mountain biking at the highest level – very big names again in Saalfelden Leogang," says Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik.
2028 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will once again be held in Saalfelden Leogang. The bike park pioneers from Salzburger Land were able to convince the UCI with their application. Third Mountain Bike World Championship in Saalfelden Leogang After an all-around successful World Championships 2020 and the World Championships 2012, the fight for the desirable rainbow jerseys will be held for the third time in the Epic Bikepark Leogang and Austria's largest mountain bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. From 30 August to 3 September 2028, Saalfelden Leogang will once again become the global epicenter of mountain biking. So far, officially confirmed are races in the disciplines Downhill, XCO, XCC and E-MTB which will be held on the challenging trails in the Epic Bikepark Leogang. Whether additional disciplines will be included in the program is currently not yet confirmed. In Saalfelden Leogang, the UCI's decision is welcomed with great delight by Marco Pointner, World Championships organizer and CEO of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik: "We are thrilled that the World Champs 2028 will once again be hosted by us in Saalfelden Leogang. The World Champs 2020 was a complete success for Saalfelden Leogang and its region and the fact that we got chosen again, confirms our successful work. We are once again delighted to welcome both the mountain bike pros and the fans for these World Championships. This has great charisma for mountain biking in the region and beyond to all of Austria as well as internationally." Kornel Grundner, World Championships organizer and managing director of Leoganger Bergbahnen, is also already looking forward to 2028 with anticipation: "The UCI's decision confirms the investments and work we have been doing here for more than 20 years. We want to continue to develop our bike park together with the scene and the world's best athletes and have been able to hold two successful World Championships and countless World Cups so far. Even though there are still a few years to go, we are already looking forward to the next big mountain bike highlight at Epic Bikepark Leogang." All other UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in the coming years will take place in Scotland (2023), Vallnord (Andorra, 2024), Valais (SUI, 2025), Val di Sole (ITA, 2026), Haute Savoie (FRA, 2027). New chance for the local hero? The fact that the 2028 World Championships will once again be held in Saalfelden Leogang also offers the reigning World Champion of 2022 and local hero Valentina Höll a new opportunity to win the home World Championships: "I am incredibly pleased that Leogang has been given the 2028 World Championships. There will certainly be a lot going on again for us bikers in terms of infrastructure, and I'm already very excited about that. In six years I'll be 26 years old and at the perfect downhill age. Until then, I will hopefully manage to get down a run at home without crashing. I'm really looking forward to it."
For three days in the EPIC Bikepark Leogang there were the latest test material, numerous workshops and lots of things to do. Just in time for the start of the fourth edition of the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang, the first snow greeted the Leoganger Asitz: But even temperatures of less than ten degrees Celsius and continuous rain could not stop the enthusiastic bikers at the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang. From Friday to Sunday, the festival site was open to browsing, astonishment and testing. Nearly 40 well-known exhibitors pitched their tents in the Expo Area to bring their test material to the man or woman. Hundreds of test bikes were tested in all weather conditions over the trails and tracks at Epic Bikepark Leogang this weekend. Always accompanied by top video material, because even the GoPro Hero 11, launched just before the start of the festival, could be borrowed and tested for the test rides. With workshops and bike professionals to perfect technology In addition to numerous renowned bike brands, many professionals in Pinzgau pitched their tents to chat at signing sessions and to pass on their knowledge to the bike-loving amateurs. The workshops around Austria's best downhillers Andi Kolb, Hanna Steinthaler, Marlena Neissl, Elias Schwaerzler, Jasper Jauch and co. were booked out throughout the festival weekend. Fabio Wibmer’s Bikeflip show was also very popular, which was quickly moved to the underground parking at the valley station of the Asitzbahn, where the East Tyrolean bike star and his Italian colleagues were able to warm up the audience with his tricks in the dry. And the junior competition, “Scott Junior Trophy Pumptrack”, took place on Sunday as planned – and how: around 70 enthusiastic children showed their skills via the waves and steep curves. And what would a BIKE Festival be without a party – at the Festival Party at the B3, night was turned into day. The date for the fifth edition of the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang has already been set: In autumn 2023, the EPIC Bikepark Leogang will once again be the meeting point of the bike scene from 15 to 17 September.
The year is slowly coming to an end. But even though the days are getting shorter, that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. In Saalfelden Leogang you can perfectly extend the autumn and also feel the winter already. It is perfectly fitting that in some German and Austrian states the autumn holidays last until November. The great plus of the Saalfelden Leogang region: The Leogang cable cars are in use continuously until the start of ski operations. Hikers can enjoy the magnificent tours between rugged limestone cliffs and gentle grassy mountains for a long time to come. The trails are in excellent condition - 4560 man-hours are invested annually in their maintenance. An important tip: With the Saalfelden Leogang Card (included in the room rate of around 300 partner companies), holidaymakers ride the mountain railways twice a day for free - also with their bike. There are many other benefits. To extend the golden autumn, however, you do not have to go so far. Leogang is home to the spectacular Epic Bikepark, which is open daily until November 6. Both beginners and professionals will be happy here. The Riders Playground is a 10,000-square-meter practice area to get acquainted with mountain biking. Experienced bikers are waiting for numerous lines and trails, from very easy to difficult. Austria’s largest bike region is one of the most popular in Europe. In 2020 Leogang even hosted the Mountain Bike World Cup, in 2023 the next World Cup awaits. If you can’t wait for winter, you’ll get your money’s worth even in autumn. Perfect for this: the Ski Alpine Card is valid for the Ski Circus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn as well as for the glacier in Kaprun, where you can already make your turns on the slopes from October onwards. And if you want to relax with so much action, you can relax in the wellness areas of the excellent spa hotels and enjoy the fine cuisine of the region. One day hiking, the next biking and the next skiing - this is how autumn in Saalfelden Leogang can be perfectly laid out
The motto for the three days at EPIC Bikepark Leogang is: Test, amazement and above all a lot of mountain biking. An outstanding summer of cycling is coming to an end in Saalfelden Leogang: Next weekend the EPIC Bikepark Leogang will once again become the Mecca of the international bike scene when the renowned BIKE Festival stops in Pinzgau for the fourth time. With free entry, numerous highlights await. Above all, the free workshops with the stars of the scene, including Andi Kolb, the fourth place finisher in the overall World Cup downhill season that recently ended. He offers his workshop participants the unique opportunity to get to know the famous Leogang World Cup track “Speedster”. Another star of the scene will inspire with his legendary bikeflip shows: Fabio Wibmer comes to the festival in Saalfelden Leogang with six of his breathtaking shows. In addition to free workshops and many opportunities to test the latest material on the market (Scott, Specialized, Santa Cruz, Pivot, etc.) free of charge on various test loops, as well as the trails and lines of the EPIC Bikepark Leogang, visitors to the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang are also waiting for numerous discounts: The Leoganger Bergbahnen, for example, is offering a 15 percent discount on all mountain and valley rides this weekend. Program highlights: Friday, 16.09.2022 Expo Area: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bike flip shows: 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. Saturday, 17.09.2022 Expo Area: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bike flip shows: 12:00 & 3:00 & 7:30 p.m. Open night 6-9 p.m. Sunday, 18.09.2022 Expo Area: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Scott Junior Trophy Pump Track: 10:00 a.m. Bike Flipshow: 1:30 p.m.
Fabio Wibmer comes to the EPIC Bikepark Leogang with his spectacular bikeflip shows. The Master gives himself the honor! With his stunning Bikeflip show, YouTube star Fabio Wibmer will show off his outstanding skills alongside his partner Andrea Maranelli as part of the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang. With free admission, a total of six spectacular shows await, four of them with the East Tyrolean himself, including a big primetime performance on Saturday evening (7.30 pm) as part of the Open Night at the Expo-Area. In addition to his spectacular trick show, bike multi-talent and YouTube star Fabio Wibmer will of course also be available to his fans for autographs and photos during the festival. BIKE Academy with renowned professionals and experts This year's edition of the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang (16-18 September) offers a lot of action around the topic of mountain biking: A large exhibition area with free test material, free workshops starting almost hourly, with Andreas Kolb, Elias Schwarzler, Joost Wichmann, Jasper Jauch, Stefan Schlie, Lukas Schaefer or Hanna Steinthaler and a lot of supporting programs await. The perfect weekend to pay a visit to the EPIC Bikepark Leogang: Workshops and tours with the professionals are free, all trails and lines are open, there are discounted lift tickets for everyone, a fair, with bike brands such as Scott, Specialized, Santa Cruz, Pivot and much more., where visitors will be able to borrow the latest equipment for testing, and a spectacular supporting program, a la Fabio Wibmer.
Over the past ten years, the organizers of the Biberg Auffireradler in Saalfelden Leogang have experienced a lot: extraordinary sporting achievements, challenging weather conditions, well-known names on the starting list and countless participants from the region – because the Biberg Auffireradler lives above all on its spirit among the locals. In addition to the sporting competition, the cozy gathering after the award ceremony with the big raffle, supported by numerous domestic sponsors, is an annual highlight. But this social highlight has to be earned hard, because the route of the Biberg Auffiradler is a hard nut: again it goes over numerous turns with a crisp 700 meters of altitude and 5.5 kilometers from the parking lot of the summer toboggan run up to the Berggasthof Biberg. If you want to climb the coveted “Beaver deer” at the end, you have to prove true uphill qualities with this route profile. The launch will take place on Friday, September 2 at 6pm. Registration is possible in advance at https://auffiradler.jimdofree.com/ and at Sport 2000 SIMON in Saalfelden, or up to an hour before the start of the race.
For the first time, Austria’s largest bike region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, will host a “super-event” of the newly organized Mountain Bike World Cup for mountain bikers from 15 to 18 June. In addition to the downhill and cross country decisions (short track and Olympic discipline), the Enduro riders will also for the first time determine their World Cup winners at the Epic Bikepark Leogang and Saalbach Hinterglemm. Three exciting mountain bike disciplines in one weekend: there is reason for joy in Saalfelden Leogang due to a restructuring of the international cycling federation (UCI), which for the first time unites all the major mountain bike formats in a common calendar in order to promote the growth of the sport. The combined 2023 calendar for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and the Enduro World Series includes 15 World Cup stops with 34 races and will take place in ten countries on three continents. Some new World Cups are also joined by renowned and experienced organizers, such as the team around Kornel Grundner and Marco Pointner in Saalfelden Leogang, which is given a special honor. From 15 to 18 June, Leogang will host the first meeting of the cross-country, downhill and enduro elite at the same venue. Leogang is one of only two triple World Cups in the coming season, which will start with enduro races in Oceania in March and end in Mount Sainte Anne, Canada, in October. “We are very proud to be part of the World Cup action again in 2023 and to be able to welcome a new discipline that fits perfectly into the EPIC Bikepark,” said the organizers, who have made the Mountainbike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang a real summer highlight in Salzburg and beyond over the past decade.
