We're home here. And we'll be here on September 26th too.
There are events you write about because they're on your calendar. And then there are events that feel closer to you, because they cross roads, trails, people, and places that are part of your mountain biking history.
For me Miasino is one of these.
We are on the heights of the eastern shore of Lake Orta, in one of those towns I always pass through during my MTB training.
This part of the lake has retained a pleasantly retro character: noble villas, small towns, woods, sweeping views of the water, and, a little further down, the beating heart of Orta San Giulio with its magnificent village.
It's an area that has something special.
And Saturday 26 September 2026 we will have one more reason to be there.
The third edition of the event will take place in the park of the historic Villa Nigra. Two Lakes Bike Fest and this time We from 365 MTB will also be there, together with Mingus Matera, to experience the day, meet bikers and enthusiasts and, of course, pedal.
The big news for 2026? It's called Gravel
The third edition marks an important milestone for the Due Laghi Bike Fest: alongside mountain bikes and e-bikes, the world of gravel has officially arrived.
In fact, it debuts Vagabund Gravel “Between 2 Lakes”, with two routes of different lengths designed to interpret the territory in two different ways: one more challenging for those seeking kilometers and elevation gain, the other more oriented towards discovery and the pleasure of pedaling.
And there's a lot of land to explore around here.
Miasino and Vergante represent a sort of natural gateway to Mottarone and are located at the center of a network of secondary roads, dirt roads, and paths that allow you to move between Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore.
An area that seems made to be discovered by pedaling.
eBike and trail: Vergante is all about riding
Alongside the new Gravel event, the eMTB excursion rally returns, which attracted great participation in the first two editions.
The route will take bikers along the most interesting trails and paths of Vergante, in an area that in recent years has seen a significant growth in mountain biking and, especially, e-bikes.
And speaking of MTB in these parts it is impossible not to mention the Wolves of Cornaggia.
Their trails have now become a point of reference for the area and a true destination for many bikers, protagonists of what we could define as small "pilgrimages" in search of trails.
A phenomenon that has further grown with the spread of eBikes, which have greatly expanded the range of action for many enthusiasts and made a perfect area for building long days on the pedals even more accessible.
And this is precisely one of the aspects of the Due Laghi Bike Fest that interests us most: don't simply use the area as the setting for an event, but use the event to make the area known.
Max Curio and that MTB that comes from the bottom
There is another reason why this event is particularly close to my heart.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to get to know Max Curio, one of the promoters of the Due Laghi Bike Fest.
Max is, first and foremost, a huge mountain bike enthusiast. He's one of those people who, over time, has been able to engage so many young people, helping them get into mountain biking and discover its charm.
It may seem like a small detail. It isn't at all.
Mountain biking needs major events, champions, the World Cup and international competitions.
But it also needs people who, away from the spotlight, continue to create opportunities to get into the saddle.
For years a local XC race has also been organised here and Max is one of those who have always believed in it. cross country of territory.
What once also found space in the Udace circuits and which, especially in the years straddling the new millennium, represented a true basis for the promotion and diffusion of the discipline.
They may have been races far from the glamour and media attention of major events, but they played a fundamental role.
They allowed dozens of amateurs to attach a number to their bikes and savor the allure of competition.
The brawl. The adrenaline. The friend you try to beat. The desire to improve your time.
And that extra motivation that convinces you to set aside an hour during the week to go out and train instead of leaving your bike in the garage.
An important part of Italian MTB culture grew exactly like this.
Events that 365 MTB likes
This is also why we decided to be present at the Due Laghi Bike Fest.
We like events that tell the story of the place where they originate.
Those where you don't simply find a GPS track, a start and a finish line, but you have the opportunity to learn about the trails, people, associations, and culture of an area.
Lake Orta, Vergante, Mottarone, and Lake Maggiore have all the characteristics to be experienced in this way.
In just a few kilometers, you pass from the lake shores to the hills, from villages to woods, and you can continue climbing until you enter a decidedly more mountainous environment.
Gravel, MTB and eBike thus become three different ways of exploring the same territory.
And on September 26th we will try to do it too.
Villa Nigra becomes the Bike Village
Throughout the day, the magnificent Villa Nigra park will be the center of the Due Laghi Bike Fest.
The Expo Area will host some of the cycling industry's leading brands and will become, above all, a meeting point for bikers and enthusiasts.
There will also be space for the little ones who, thanks to the collaboration with the Lake Maggiore Mountain Bike School, will be able to test their mountain bikes on a dedicated trail.
In the afternoon, inside the Arancera of Villa Nigra, a seminar with the MTB instructor is also planned. Alexander Botta dedicated to riding technique, mountain behavior, bike setup, and the equipment needed to organize a safe excursion.
Then the time will come to put aside the helmet and cycling shoes.
From 19:30 pm, the Pro Loco of Miasino will accompany the final part of the day with a DJ set, musical entertainment and a typical dinner with a formula that, after a few hours on the pedals, could seriously test even the most trained biker:
Polenta All You Can Eat.
See you in Miasino on September 26th
Gravel, eBike, MTB, trail, Expo, kids, and an evening to spend together.
But above all, people and a territory worth discovering by bike.
On Saturday, September 26th, we at 365 MTB will be at the Due Laghi Bike Fest together with Mingus Matera.
So this time the invitation is even simpler:
Prepare your bike, choose Gravel or eBike and come visit us in Miasino.
See you on the trails.
