Spring Flow: The 5 Favorite Spots of Bike Athletes

I think Latsch is genuinely underrated. The trails are a solid 10/10, there’s a great campsite right on the Etsch river, the sunshine hours are super high, and the Vinschgau valley is just a lovely part of the world. On the sunny side of the valley the slopes are open making those iconic trails like Tschilli and Montesole incredibly panoramic. If you want a shuttle, Michi’s Bike Shuttle is the best. Over on the other side, in the forested Nöderberg, you can go tree-surfing on the Barbarossa Trail or the Roatbrunn, and refuel at the Tarscher or Latscher Alm. Speaking of good food: down in the valley, Ban Silvio in Goldrain serves up the best burgers around. His Monday closing day is always a tough one for me.

Best time to visit: March through May, and again in autumn through to November.

In the Sierra de Mariola Nature Park near Alicante, riders (and trail builders) have the run of a privately-owned 1,000-hectare playground with over 20 kilometres of pristine tracks for every type of rider. I still remember the first time I drove down that pine-tree-lined avenue and suddenly found myself standing in front of the enormous La Fenasosa villa – I was seriously blown away. You’re out in the middle of nowhere in Spain and then suddenly you’re entering this oasis for mountain bikers with the best vibes imaginable. I camped right behind the villa for 5 euros, the beer costs 1 euro, and there’s a proper lunch on offer at midday. It’s a fairly self-contained world, so get all the info you need from their website.

Best time to visit: La Fenasosa is open eleven months of the year…

I wouldn’t really call myself an adventurer. I tend to stick to bike parks and destinations with solid MTB infrastructure. But the trip to Friuli was something else, something different. So close to home, yet with completely new landscapes and trails. I definitively became an explorer out there. Friuli sits in the northeast of Italy and somehow flies completely under the radar. Which is a shame, because it’s wonderfully, quintessentially Italian – palazzos, piazzas, pizza, castles, and cathedrals – while also offering a wild mountain landscape with the Carnic Alps and the Friulian Dolomites. We had an incredible time on the trails around San Pietro al Natisone, east of Udine near the Slovenian border. Monte Paularo delivered endless flowing corners, and the Cjasut dal Scior was, quite literally, a highlight. And because the region isn’t overrun, it’s also perfect for campers. Among other spots, we stayed northwest of San Pietro at Lago di Alesso, at Camping Lago 3 Comuni.

Best time to visit: From late spring onwards.