Bike Festival of Riva del Garda 2025 at Risk
The Details of the Case...an International Story!
The 2025 edition of the Bike Festival of Riva del Garda, scheduled from May 1st to 4th, is at the center of a major controversy that jeopardizes its realization. Less than three months before the event, the owners of the ex Cattoi area on Viale Rovereto have denied authorization for the use of the land, as reported today by the newspaper L’Adige.
The Connection to the René Benko Investigation
To understand the context of the case, it is necessary to take a step back. The area in question is owned by Heinz Peter Hager, an Alto Adige accountant, and Paolo Signoretti, an entrepreneur from Arco, both involved in the investigation that has shaken the empire of Austrian businessman René Benko. The latter was recently imprisoned following an international investigation and controlled various businesses, including Signa Sports United, which owns well-known online stores like Chain Reaction Cycles and Wiggle. The investigation also extended to the Trentino Alto Adige region, leading to Hager and Signoretti being placed under house arrest, which was revoked in recent days. However, they remain subject to residence restrictions and are prohibited from having contact with public administration.
The Decision of VR101214 srl
The denial of the area for the Bike Festival was officially communicated by Erhard Rofner, the new sole administrator of VR101214 srl, the company that owns the ex Cattoi property. In a statement, Rofner said:
“The constant pressure has distorted the facts and generated an unacceptable level of exposure for a responsible management of the property. For this reason, we have deemed it appropriate not to grant the area for the 2025 edition of the Bike Festival and the Horizon Festival, thus protecting the property from further exploitation.”
The company also clarified that the decision not to grant the area for public events was made back in September 2024, coinciding with the expiration of the contract with APM. Therefore, according to the owners, the organizers should have considered an alternative months ago.
An Uncertain Scenario for the Bike Festival
In previous years, the ex Cattoi area has always been provided free of charge for the Bike Festival, contributing to the success of an event that attracts around 80,000 visitors, 380 international brands, and 200 exhibitors, generating an economic impact of over 6 million euros for the region.
However, the current denial complicates matters. The most viable alternative seems to be the Benacense sports field, but this option would entail high costs and require an agreement with the local sports club.
On February 10th, a technical meeting will take place to identify the best solution to ensure the event can proceed without compromising local logistics and traffic. It remains to be seen whether an eleventh-hour agreement can be reached to save the 2025 edition of the Bike Festival of Riva del Garda.