Countdown: Bike Festival Vienna 2026

From Dirt Battle Vienna to the Expo Area, from review course to children's world: colorful and diverse is the bustle on and around Vienna's Rathausplatz, which every year at the start of spring makes a statement for cycling in every conceivable facet and discipline. And the 27th edition is no exception – on the contrary:
In 2026 Europe's largest bicycle festival will gather between the iconic façades of the neo-Gothic seat of Vienna's city government and the neo-Baroque cultural temple called the Burgtheater everything on two wheels that has a reputation, style and message, future and past.

The world's best freeriders – and, new since 2025, freeride women – will be rubbing shoulders on March 28 and 29, along with the most up-and-coming e-biker and the most highly decorated artistic cyclist. Want a few names?
The men's line-up at the Vienna Air King is led by none other than Triple Crown winner Dawid Godziek. Challenging the seasoned Pole will be, among others, his compatriot Przemek Abramovicz as well as the Spaniards Alejandro Bonafe and Diego Solans, the latter likely still well remembered by the Vienna crowd from previous years. The strong Austrians Bernd Winkler, Enzo Souza, Markus Saurer and Toby Reinprecht also want to be in contention for podium places or at least perform as best they can in front of the home crowd – not to mention the young guns: on the one hand there's the youngest competitor Samy Louis Fernbach, who has already thrilled audiences in previous years, and on the other from Germany Devin Karahan, who in 2025, together with Alma Wiggberg , won the Best Team competition.

The inaugural winner from Sweden will, in defending her title, face, among others, Red Bull Shootingstar Patricia Druwen from Germany, whose fellow countrywomen Kathi Kuypers and Johanna Nussbaumer will likewise again be on the start list of the women's event, along with the rest of the original sextet. That means Sarah Schieder is also back in the mix, and red-white-red reinforcement comes from Mia Salchenegger. The confirmation from the Polish rider Natalia Niedzwiedz boosts the number of female starters to nine a good week before the event ... If that's not ideal conditions for an exciting continuation of the new chapter of the spectacular slopestyle contest opened in 2025!

Big names can also be found away from the meter-high start tower and landing bags that will draw all eyes during High Jump, Best Trick & Co.
E‑MTB world champion Anna Spielmann demonstrates live in the E‑Mountainbike‑Arena how to get over ramps, logs and rocks with fat tires and electric assist. Austria’s cyclist of the year 2025, Lorena Schneider, mounts her artistic bicycle one last time in the Fahrrad‑PopUp‑Area to show what made her a world championship medallist in this discipline. Bikerina enchants the audience there with her acrobatic unicycle show, trial ace Gabriel Wibmer presents his best tricks on the MTB. And three‑time track world champion Roland Königshofer explains on the trade fair grounds (stand 58) what he means by road‑cycling technique and how it can be taught.

If you're more in the mood for a few fairly "normal" kilometres ridden on your own: Both Michi Strasser and the Female Cycling Base are once again inviting people on Saturday and Sunday respectively to Social Rides on the road bike.
If the right piece of kit is still missing for that: at the Falter bicycle flea market you might be able to pick up a spontaneous bargain.

And at the 15th Vienna Bike Parade on Sunday morning the city's main streets, closed to other traffic, become a cheerful, relaxed meeting place for everything with wheels. How wonderful it would be if cyclists, not drivers, always set the tone in Vienna can already be experienced at this thousands-strong ride, even by the smallest participants.

Speaking of youngsters: From the tiny tot to the race‑keen rookie, age-appropriate challenges await in the Children's Bike World and at the Kids Bike Trophy, furthermore the expo area with a Carrera track, JobRad loop and much more also offers many highlights for young riders.
In addition, exhibitors across the vast exhibition grounds offer information and inspiration for your next bike holiday, your upcoming bicycle purchase or the safest bike routes through the city, showcase the latest trends as well as the perennial favourites of recent years and also provide numerous opportunities to try them out on the test course.

Fresh program highlights such as the Vello SUB Cargo Challenge, the Beat The Pro Challenge from JobRad or the full-on world of indoor cycling — from speed tests and workshops in the tent to a live outdoor experience — also guarantee that Bike Festival Vienna stays true to its credo: colourful, diverse and exciting year after year.

So once again our recommendation: Come along, take a look, join in – we'll be there too!