I reached William by phone while he was on the trails and, in his words, "I'm finally back working on the trails." Talking to Willy is always interesting.
Our relationship began more or less with the birth of the Val di Fassa project: the first Superenduro, with some logistical issues related to the facilities, then the EWS, the EDR, and finally the World Championship. In between, there was his federal role and a long series of projects that led a group of mountain bike enthusiasts, obsessed with jumps and bike parks, to build a company with six people working on the trails, three managing the shop, and a vision of bike tourism that today represents, along with a few other companies, a point of reference for anyone looking to invest in this sector.
The market is in crisis, but bike tourism isn't.
I'll start with an inevitable question: how's the MTB doing?
Willy smiles. The answer, as often happens, isn't so simple.
We need to distinguish. The MTB market is in serious crisis, and we all know that. Mountain bike tourism is a different story: we're not seeing any negative signs there. People still want to get out on their bikes, ride trails, and enjoy these kinds of experiences. They may be changing their bikes less frequently than a few years ago, but they're still using them. And the numbers prove us right and reassure us.
An interesting concept, especially because we often tend to confuse the market with practice. If fewer bikes are sold, it's automatically assumed there are fewer bikers, but that's not necessarily the case.
MTB should not replace skiing
This brings us to another issue that often comes up when discussing investments in mountain resorts. Many continue to compare mountain biking to skiing, arguing that the numbers are too different to justify significant investments.
It's clear that mountain biking alone can't match the numbers for skiing, at least here in Val di Fassa. But the point is different. If winter is still, effectively, a single-activity season, summer, to be competitive and sustainable, must build its offerings on multiple experiences.
Mountain biking with ski lifts is great, but it also needs to include e-bike excursions, gravel biking, road biking with the lure of the Dolomite passes, hiking, trail running, and all those activities that together create a strong and competitive summer tourism product.
Also because today's biker has changed. More and more often, they're looking for a multidisciplinary vacation. Maybe they spend one day at the bike park, the next on a hike with the family, and the next day they're riding the bike path. Summer mountain life can no longer be thought of as separate compartments.
A mountain that changes, even in hospitality
This change, according to Willy, does not only concern cyclists, but involves the entire tourism system.
In recent years, hotels and tourism operators have begun to understand this evolution and adapt their offerings. The way we experience the mountains has changed, and so have times. While dinner at 19 pm is common in winter, in summer the days are longer, the pace becomes more relaxed, and the vacation experience takes on a completely different character.
The MTB that grows with its riders
At a certain point in the conversation, a phrase emerges that particularly strikes me. Willy talks about the need to "nourish the soul." I ask him what he means.
"I think the very concept of the mountain bike experience has changed profoundly over the years. When we started, it was all about the adrenaline rush, the thrilling videos, the big jumps, the spectacular stunts, and the desire to emulate the riders we saw on the screen.
That philosophy still exists and is an important part of our world. Meanwhile, however, mountain biking has matured along with its riders. Alongside the pursuit of performance and thrills, a more introspective dimension has developed.
Today, for many people, mountain biking is a way to reach places they would otherwise never have seen, to immerse themselves in the silence of the mountains, to enjoy views, colors, and sensations that go beyond the simple sporting gesture. The experience is no longer limited to the descent or ascent, but encompasses everything around it.
When I say we need to nourish our soul, I mean exactly this. The bike's ability to provide moments that make us feel good, that reconnect us with nature and with ourselves. The climbs and descents remain central elements, but they become part of something bigger.
Nourish the soul
As I listen to it, I can't help but think of surfing. There are many similarities: the pursuit of experience, the connection with the environment, an almost spiritual dimension that often emerges in mature sports as the years pass.
I'll point it out to him.
Probably, yes. I think it's the natural growth path of a sport and the people who practice it. Adrenaline and the pursuit of performance are still important, but over time you also learn to appreciate everything around you. The bike becomes a way to experience the area, to slow down, observe, and take home something that goes beyond just a ride. It's a maturation of the movement, but also of the riders.
Why Val di Fassa chose Pon Bike Group
From here we move on to one of the most current topics: the new partnership announced by Val di Fassa.
During the presentation, I said something that's often taken for granted. From the outside, it seems almost natural that major brands would want to collaborate with a place like Val di Fassa. In reality, anyone familiar with this world knows it doesn't work that way.
Willy nods.
«This collaboration comes after years of work, planning, and strategies built to create a truly high-performance and complete bike product.
Last fall, we started looking for a partner and met with several brands. We ultimately chose Pon Bike Group. Some might think the main reason was the presence of Santa Cruz within the group, but the reality is different.
We weren't just looking for a technical partner. We were looking for someone willing to invest in the area, believe in the project, and be an active part of it. A partner capable of contributing with events, test days, and initiatives that help promote the destination through cycling.
We also needed a cross-section of the industry. Mountain biking remains central, but today a bike destination must also connect with the world of gravel, road, e-bike touring, and all those forms of cycling that allow you to experience the area in different ways. We needed a complete ecosystem that would help us become a 360-degree bike destination.
A question of vision
Let's end the call as we began it, talking about evolution.
I started interviewing William when mountain biking was still almost exclusively muscle-based, bike destinations were still a nascent concept, and the world of two wheels was profoundly different from what we know today.
Over the years, I've watched a project grow, season after season, adapting to changes in the market and the cycling lifestyle. It's been interesting to observe how, alongside investment, Trentino's promotional prowess, and Val di Fassa's organizational capabilities, the real difference has been made above all by vision.
Perhaps this is the underlying theme of our conversation: the ability to look beyond the present. From trail construction to the organization of major international events, from the evolution of MTB toward a more experiential dimension to the choice of partners who share a long-term vision.
In the meantime, I continue to eagerly await the next opportunity to return to Val di Fassa. It looks like there will be some surprises this summer, and as always, I end the phone call with William with a healthy twinge of envy for anyone who can call a trail in the heart of the Dolomites an "office."
