From 23 to 27 July 2025, the charming town of Melgaço in northern Portugal will become the off-road capital of Europe when it hosts the Mountain Bike European Championships.
Thirteen titles are at stake, including Team Relay, Cross-Country and Short-Track, in the Elite, Under 23 and Junior categories. A total of 319 athletes from 31 countries have registered for the continental event and will be competing on the technical circuits of the town in the heart of the Viana do Castelo district, ready to put on a show in a particularly evocative setting.
The event promises to be of a very high standard, with the start lists filled with some particularly important names. In the Men's Elite category, much is expected of Nino Schurter, the multiple Swiss champion, European champion in 2020 and ready for another success. Tom Pidcock, a British talent with two Olympic gold medals and an inexhaustible desire to win, will be vying for his title.
The level of the contenders is very high. Luca Martin, freshly crowned French champion, arrives in Melgaço after an epic battle in the UCI World Series against Pidcock.
All eyes will also be on Jordan Sarrou (France), who is still competitive, Luca Schwarzbauer (Germany) and Simon Andreassen (Denmark). Not to be underestimated are Filippo Colombo, the new Swiss champion, and the Italians Simone Avondetto, reigning European champion, and Luca Braidot, always a good performer on the big occasions.
Much is expected of Jolanda Neff (Switzerland), Olympic gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 and four-time continental champion and Evie Richards (Great Britain), who is always on the podium at the most important events on the calendar. Jenny Rissveds (Sweden), third in the last World Series stage in Andorra, Martina Berta (Italy), who is also coming off an excellent performance and Linda Indergand (Switzerland) will also be keeping a close eye on the competition.
In the Under 23 categories, the spotlight will be on Valentina Corvi (Italy) and Finn Treudler (Switzerland), both of whom won in Andorra and are becoming the leading lights of the movement, especially for the future.
In the Youth categories, the spotlight will be on promising newcomers from Denmark, France, Switzerland and Italy, countries that have always been key players at continental level. Among the most eagerly awaited names are Adrien Boichis (France) and Monique Halter (Switzerland).
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: "Melgaço is gearing up for an extraordinary event, celebrating the passion and excellence of European Mountain Biking. With a very high technical level and a perfect setting for this discipline, the 2025 edition promises to be a spectacular and emotional event.
Portugal, a country with a great cycling tradition, has confirmed its ability to host top-class international events, thanks also to the commitment of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, which, with its President Candido Barbosa, is always at the forefront of promoting our sport.
I would particularly like to thank the town of Melgaço and its Mayor Manoel Batista for their hospitality, as well as the Organising Committee led by Jorge Domingues and his entire team for working with passion and professionalism to provide the ideal setting for athletes and fans alike.”
