The Shimano Sea Otter Europe Costa Brava-Girona by Garmin has kicked off with over 500 brands present, a 10% increase in exhibition space, and a program combining industry, competition, leisure, and activities for all audiences.
The Shimano Sea Otter Europe Costa Brava-Girona by Garmin raised its curtain this Friday, September 18, for a very special edition. The cycling festival celebrates its tenth anniversary with the largest offering in its history, and with Girona, once again, becoming a meeting point for brands, professionals, athletes, and thousands of cycling enthusiasts.
The gates of the Fontajau venue opened at 10:00 AM, and from the very first hour, the aisles of the exhibition area began to welcome the first visitors. The tenth edition arrives with a 10% growth in exhibition space and surpasses 500 brands present, contributing to making this space a major international showcase to discover industry innovations, learn about products, and interact directly with the sector’s leading companies.
The official inauguration brought together representatives from the main institutions and entities linked to the festival. Participants included Gemma Geis, Vice President of the Girona Provincial Council; Abel Garcia, Secretary General of Sports of the Generalitat de Catalunya; Lluc Salellas, Mayor of Girona; Albert Balcells, Director of Sea Otter Europe; and Carles Ferrer, President of the Catalan Cycling Federation. Bruno Prieto, representing Shimano, and Salvador Alcover, representing Garmin, the two main sponsoring brands of the event, also spoke.
Frenetic Activity Since Opening
The first day confirmed from the outset the scale that Sea Otter Europe has reached after ten editions. The intense commercial activity in the exhibition area was complemented by the Euro Mobility Festival, gastronomic spaces, family activities, and an uninterrupted program that kept the venue lively throughout the day.
Demobike, the Great Opportunity to See, Test, and Compare Bicycles
Another major highlight of the day was Demobike, one of Sea Otter Europe’s most successful activities and one that best defines the festival’s philosophy. Visitors can reserve bicycles for free and test them on specially designed circuits, an opportunity to evaluate different models in real conditions before making a purchase decision.
Last year, Demobike exceeded 4,600 reservations, and this 2026, it features over 40 brands available for testing, in an offering that directly connects manufacturers and enthusiasts.
The Professional Festival Began on Thursday
The professional side of Sea Otter Europe began yesterday, Thursday, with Sea Otter Connect, the platform that brings together the cycling industry, trade, mobility, tourism, media, creators, innovation, and health with the aim of fostering new business opportunities and alliances within the bicycle ecosystem.
The first day was dedicated to cycle tourism and new market profiles. This Friday, coinciding with the festival’s opening, Connect has developed two main themes. On one hand, the Cycling Industry Summit ’26 addressed the Bicycle Sector Barometer in Spain prepared by AMBE, the prospects of the European industry, French market trends, brand transformation, distribution and retail, as well as new bicycle and mobility-related startups. In parallel, the Health and Cycling Forum discussed issues such as arrhythmias, cardiovascular health and performance, glucose monitoring and artificial intelligence, digestive health, and nutrition applied to cycling.
The XCE Spanish Championship Ignites the Competition
Sea Otter Europe’s sports program has also begun to unfold with intensity today. The various circuits hosted XCO (Olympic Cross Country), XCC (Cross Country Short Track), and XCE (Cross Country Eliminator) training sessions throughout the day, before the competition took center stage in the afternoon with the Spanish Cross Country Eliminator Championship.
After the official training sessions, the women’s and men’s time trials gave way to the finals of one of mountain biking’s most explosive and spectacular disciplines. Alberto Mingorance was crowned XCE Spanish champion for the seventh time, while Ainara Elbusto secured the women’s title.
Saturday, the Big Day for Gravel
Sea Otter Europe will face a day of immense intensity on Saturday. The 226ERS UCI Gravel World Series will be one of the day’s main highlights and will share the spotlight with the Shimano Super Cup Massi, the Shimano Super Cup Youth, the City MTB Eliminator Series, and the MTB Classic.
Although the gravel race will take place tomorrow, visitors were already able to attend today’s presentation, which featured some of the competition’s prominent names: Fran Rus, Laura Martí Sellés, Nicole Frain, Petr Vakoč, Greta Seiwald, Casey South, and Daan Soete. As a novelty, the race can be followed for the first time through the OcisportTV and Eurosport YouTube channels.
From 9:00 AM until the festival closes, competition, exhibition, Demobike, and family activities will follow one another almost uninterruptedly.
On Saturday, anticipation will also grow around the other major world championship event of the weekend: the final of the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup, which on Sunday will bring together some of the world’s best XCM specialists and will provide the sporting climax to the festival’s tenth edition.
How to Get to Sea Otter Europe
The organization recommends planning travel in advance and, whenever possible, arriving at the festival by public transport or sustainable mobility options.
Girona has high-speed rail (AVE) and regional connections. From the station, the urban bus network allows access to the Fontajau venue.
Those arriving by bicycle can access the festival directly and use the designated parking areas. Visitors opting for private vehicles will have various parking lots and zones available.
Updated information on access, parking, public transport, and mobility recommendations can be consulted on the festival’s official website.
Access to the venue is free, but it is necessary to download the ticket in advance via the following link: https://www.seaottereurope.com/free-visitor-ticket/
