– Tomorrow: the 2nd Colnago Gravel
– In the afternoon: Conad Junior Bike and Colnago Family
– In the evening: fireworks show on the lake
The sun shone brightly on the first day of the 18th edition of the Colnago Lake Garda Cycling Festival, providing a spectacular start to the event.
The weekend kicked off in the best possible way with the special Randonnée – Giro del Lago and the festival’s first Colnago Gravel ride, which took participants along the picturesque “Sentieri della Battaglia” trails.
The participants set off this morning at 9:30 a.m. from the Cesare Battisti Lakeside Promenade.
The randonneurs tackled routes that were both captivating and challenging: 200 km for the long route and 147 km for the short one, skirting the beautiful shores of Lake Garda. The start and finish were in Desenzano del Garda, with strategic stops in Limone del Garda and Sega di Ala to recharge along the way.
Meanwhile, the gravel cyclists covered a full 80 km along the dirt roads of the magnificent hinterland of Lake Garda, winding through the morainic hills and the lake.
The region offered its exceptional products and fantastic views, highlighted by our local partners such as Cantina Zenato at Tenuta Santa Cristina in Peschiera del Garda, where our athletes stopped today for a fantastic refreshment break, sampling the best our region has to offer.
At 10:00 a.m., one of the festival’s side events also took place: the first yoga class open to everyone, titled “Yoga and Sport: Moving with Intelligence.”
The festivities of the Colnago Lake Garda Cycling Festival continued throughout the day in the heart of Desenzano del Garda with the opening of the Expo area. Here, the industry’s leading brands—acting as sponsors of the Festival—set up booths that will remain open to visitors all weekend, showcasing new products and exclusive promotions designed for participants.
The program continues tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, with an even more packed schedule of events. The Colnago Gravel “Terra del Garda” is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.
In the afternoon, the spotlight shifts to the younger riders with the second edition of the CONAD Junior Bike, starting at 2:30 p.m.: an even more prestigious event, as this year it serves as the sole round of the Regional Championship.
At 2:30 p.m., the Colnago Family will kick off—a guided ride organized by the Garda Cycling Academy, designed for parents and children of all ages and open to all types of bicycles. All proceeds from registration fees will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Brescia.
At 7:30 PM, it’s time for Desenzano By Night, a 3- and 6-km recreational walk, meeting at Piazza Cappelletti: an event open to everyone, all about sports and fun.
To close out the day, at 9:15 PM in Piazza Cappelletti, one of the festival’s most anticipated events returns: the fireworks display over the water, ready to thrill the crowd and light up the sky over Desenzano.
