The 2024 edition of the Mountain Bike European Championships, scheduled to take place in Cheile Grădiștei (Romania) from May 8 to 12, is taking shape on the horizon. For five days, the Transylvanian town will be the European capital of Off-Road cycling and is preparing to welcome over 400 riders from 32 countries who will compete for the 13 titles at stake: that of Team Relay as well as the Men's and Women's Cross-Country and Short Track Elite, Under 23 and Juniors titles.
This is an event that presents a series of particularly interesting elements, first and foremost the technical aspect, which will certainly be of the highest level in view of those who will be the expected protagonists, an event that will also give particularly interesting indications since it takes place less than three months before the rendezvous with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, for which it is one of the final qualifying events.
As far as participation is concerned, the Elite Cross-Country event boasts some of the most prominent athletes on the international scene, starting with reigning European Champion and local star Vlad Dascalu, who will have among his main opponents some of the most in-form men of the moment, like Britain's Charlie Aldridge, who performed brilliantly at recent World Cup races, as well as Simon Andreassen (Denmark), recent winner of the Cup race in Brazil, or Italians Simone Avondetto and Luca Braidot, as well as Switzerland's Filippo Colombo, whose form has been steadily improving this season.
In the Women's Elite category, the challenge promises to be particularly exciting thanks to the presence of top-class athletes, including multiple winner and reigning World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot from France and current European Champion Puck Pieterse from the Netherlands, as well as Mona Mitterwallner from Austria, Evie Richards from Great Britain and Anne Terpstra from the Netherlands.
In the Youth category (Juniors and Under 23), the national teams of Denmark, France, Switzerland and Italy, which have historically performed well at continental events, will be particularly closely watched.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Europèenne de Cyclisme: “In a few days' time, we'll be celebrating a historic moment for European cycling in Romania. For the first time, the Mountain Bike European Championships will be held in the magnificent grounds of Cheile Grădiștei, offering an unrivalled setting for European athletes.
This high-level event comes at a crucial time, less than three months before the Olympic Games, further consolidating Mountain Biking's central role on the world sporting stage. The presence of top-level athletes, ready to compete in this unique setting, promises unparalleled spectacle and emotion for cycling fans the world over.
I would like to thank the Romanian Cycling Federation and its President Catalin Sprinceana for their commitment to promoting cycling in the country and beyond its borders.
Special thanks to Ovidiu and Alexandru Gîrbacea of the Cheile Grădiștei estate, who generously opened the doors of this charming corner of Romania to host the event. Their hospitality and logistical support are essential to the staging of these championships, as is the support of the National Olympic Committee and the Romanian Sports Agency.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the inestimable value of the volunteers, the entire organising team and all the supporters who, with passion, will make this extraordinary event possible”.
