Bansko Bike Fest

In Bansko, Bulgaria, riders can spend the same festival weekend on mountain enduro trails, road turns, a 1,000-meter climbing rally, and relaxed guided rides that end at a table of local food. Bansko Bike Fest is an annual July cycling festival rather than a single race, with options for experienced cyclists, families, children, and people who mainly want to test bikes, train with stronger riders, or explore the mountain town by bicycle. The harder side of the program includes an iconic climb near Bansko and road tours supported by a police escort, while the social side includes Tasty Bansko, the Avramovo gourmet ride, an expo zone, unlimited bike tests, and kids' games and training on the city park pump track. One edition sent more than 70 riders on a 70 km route with 1,200 meters of climbing to Orteso, the highest inhabited village in the Balkans at 1,555 meters, while more than 80 others rode the mountain trails above Bansko; the field has stretched from local cycling figures to a 77-year-old participant.