This month, Val di Sole, in Italy's Trentino region, will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (26-30 August) for the fourth time, cementing the valley's place as one of mountain biking's most established venues. Yet Val di Sole's story is about more than just elite racing. As a UCI Bike Region, the valley pairs its world-class event hosting with a commitment to everyday cycling that welcomes families and first-timers just as readily as UCI World Champions.
A valley of champions
Val di Sole's racing pedigree runs deep. It first hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 2008, before returning as host in 2016 and 2021. Alongside those Championships, the valley has become an almost permanent fixture of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, most recently staging a round of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
Yet hosting the world's best riders is only part of what earned Val di Sole its status as Italy's first UCI Bike Region. The label recognises everyday cycling as much as elite competitions, an ethos that will come to life during race week, when the valley stages the Cross Country Kids on Friday 28 August. This free, non-competitive event will give children aged 2 to 12 the chance to ride where UCI World Champions are crowned.
More than a venue for racing
Val di Sole has shaped its cycling around accessibility, making it easy for anyone to ride, whatever their level. At the heart of this approach is the valley's cycle network, consisting of over 40 kilometres of paved, traffic-free cycle paths. Chief among these paths is a route that traces the Noce river from Cogolo di Peio down to Mostizzolo, extended in recent years with new branches such as the 2024 link towards Rabbi. Designed to accommodate any kind of bike, from city and trekking bikes to e-bikes and children's bikes, this route opens up the valley to riders of all skill levels. Thanks to an electric Bike Train and dedicated Bike Buses, both specially fitted to carry bicycles, riders can roll down the valley then load up their bikes and return to the start, avoiding the long climb back.
Gravity riders head for the Val di Sole Bike Park at Daolasa di Commezzadura, the valley's downhill centrepiece and home to the Black Snake, one of the most demanding descents in world mountain biking. Accessed by the Daolasa cable car, the Bike Park also offers red and flow trails in addition to the historic four-cross track on the valley floor. Not every trail bites, though. The Ponte di Legno-Tonale Bike Park is Trentino's first Family Bike Park, with gentler flow trails made for beginners and young riders.
Gravel is one of the valley's most distinctive draws. Together with neighbouring Val di Non, Val di Sole forms what the two areas bill as Italy's first true gravel destination: an integrated network of 11 themed routes covering more than 500 kilometres with stunning views. For mountain bikers, the valley offers more than 400 kilometres of mapped and signposted trails through equally scenic landscapes.
A track record of sustainability
Val di Sole has a long-standing commitment to protecting the environment. The groundwork was laid in 2019, when the Pejo3000 ski area became the first in the world to eliminate plastic products, and again in 2021, when the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships earned Trentino's Eco Events label. The valley went further in 2022, staging its first carbon-neutral UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Final: organisers measured the event's footprint under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, then reduced and offset it through certified projects. That progress was recognised in 2025, when Val di Sole was named one of four global pilot venues for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series environmental monitoring programme alongside Leogang (Austria), Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) and Les Gets (France).
A virtuous cycle
According to Fabio Sacco, Director of the Val di Sole Tourism Board and Grandi Eventi Val di Sole, it’s important that the territory, sports infrastructure and hospitality grow together.
"Val di Sole is recognised internationally not only for hosting major events, but also for developing a comprehensive, high-quality cycling offering that provides exceptional experiences for professional riders, enthusiasts, and families.
"Major events such as the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships provide an exceptional platform for showcasing the destination and are a powerful driver of growth for the territory. They attract the world's best athletes to Val di Sole, generate international exposure, and strengthen a cycling culture that engages the entire local community.
“It is a virtuous cycle: infrastructure enables major events to be hosted, and these events further enhance the destination's reputation and appeal.”