Underexposed: Finale Ligure
Words By: Brice Shirbach
“The place is over 700 years old,” Bryan tells me with a smile. “But it was renovated around 300 years ago, so we’re good.”
Bryan Mason is the president of Pivot Cycles and was downright giddy to show everyone around as we began to arrive at our digs for the week. I rolled into the ancient villa after 18 hours of travel sometime before midnight, but was admittedly a bit giddy myself at the prospect of the week we had in front of us. Even in the dark I could sense that I was in a very different part of the world. Our villa was built into a ridgeline and towered above the valley below, the twinkling lights of homes hinting at the rolling landscape that we’d have to wait until the morning to fully appreciate. The building had as much charm as it did history, and after figuring out the shower functionality, I settled into a deep sleep with Riviera visions dancing through my head.
Our first morning in Finale, Ligure was appropriately stunning. We woke to sunshine, espresso, fresh focaccia and breakfast, and were all eager to get the day started.
The cast of characters included another Pivot employee, Global Marketing Manager Tyler Reitz, several members of MTB media including Drew Rohde from Loam Wolf, Seb Stott from Pinkbike, Jeff Kendall Weed and Logan Nelson from Jeff’s Youtube Channel, Jose Crispillo from MTB Pro Spain, Alex Petitdemange from Fox suspension, and Fynn Schmid from Pivot’s German offices. Pivot also had myself along with the significantly more impressive Morgane Charre there as their athlete contingent. We were here to unveil the all new Pivot Firebird and put rubber to dirt in one of the single best places on the planet for mountain biking. Evolve Finale, the local Pivot dealer and shuttle/guide service, organized the week’s itinerary and the owner, Stefano Tortarollo, would provide us with the opportunity to have a better understanding of the history behind one of the world’s most esteemed and vast network of trails.
The Italian coast stretches for 7500 km along the Mediterranean Sea, with iconic cities such as Rome, Venice, Genoa, Piza, Naples and more lining the coast of this stunning and vibrant country. Few people know that the country wasn’t considered a unified country until the mid 19th century, but obviously the culture here goes back thousands of years. In Finale, the Mediterranean collides with white sand beaches, a vibrant palate of pastelles, medieval fortresses, a large limestone mountain, and of course thousands of kilometers of trails.
Stefano grew up less than 10km away from Finale
in the small seaside town of Spotorno, and opened the doors to Evolve Finale 12 years ago in town.
“Evolve is the biggest bike-related business in Finale at the moment,” Stefano tells me from his 3rd floor retail operation. “We have 6 shuttles, 6 guides, 4 mechanics, and 2 salespersons. When I opened in 2012 I started with 80 sq. meters. 7 years ago we moved to a 250 sq. meter shop, and now we’re in the biggest commercial space in Finale with this 500 sq. meter space.”
Stefano isn’t telling me this to flex over any other business in town, bike-related or not.
He’s smiling at the fact that of all the available businesses in a bustling community on the Italian Riviera, a bike shop can lay claim to the largest commercial space.
Finale is uniquely positioned in Europe as a year-round outdoor paradise, with over 300 days per year of sunshine to go along with the 3,000 feet of relief from mountains to the white sand beaches along the Gulf of Genoa. All of the ingredients are here for a world class treat: incredible terrain, incredible food, and an incredible culture.
Evolve itself is a part of a coalition of hundreds of businesses throughout the region tasked with supporting advocacy and stewardship of the natural playground that is Finale Ligure, from mountain biking, to hiking, to climbing, to surfing and more called the Finale Outdoor Region. F.O.R. provides a number of functions for the region, not the least of which includes funding for trail building and maintenance. It’s a different model in many ways to the more traditional trail association system we have in the United States, but clearly it’s proving to be highly effective. Within a 15 km radius of Finale you’ll find over 1,000 km of world class trails for riders and abilities of all stripes. It’s become synonymous with World Cup enduro racing, and is the testing ground for suspension and frame manufacturers from around the world.
Our time in Finale
Our time in Finale proved to be memorable for a multitude of reasons, many of which go well beyond the brilliant trails. Stefano’s team at Evolve have the feel of an extended family, and the bond between them had a profound impact on our group. The joy they have for sharing their stunning corner of the globe is palpable, and the absence of gatekeeping or turning a nose up to visitors is a welcome respite from much of what happens throughout mountain biking in other parts of the world. Mountain biking is a force here, both economically and socially, and it’s clear after spending time with locals, from shuttle drivers, to mechanics, to the incredible guides, and Stefano himself, that the trails here have formed an honest to goodness connective tissue between locals and visitors alike.
“It’s incredible to have this team of incredible people,” Stefano says of his extended mountain bike family. “
“They have so much passion and are always ready to do way more than expected, and way more than I ask of them. They just want to make this place great. That’s what I love about having this business. We get to offer services with people who share our passion, and the emotional connection is real. When we bring someone to a great trail and they get to experience the flow of this place, and then we hit pause and take in an incredible view, you can really feel an emotional connection to a place. I think that this is the greatest thing in the world.”
Finale Awaits
Tucked between the Mediterranean and the mountains, Finale Ligure is more than a destination, it’s a rite of passage for riders chasing world-class trails and unforgettable views. From sunbaked singletrack to ancient coastal descents, this Italian riding mecca delivers raw, unfiltered adventure with every pedal stroke.
We’ve partnered with the experts at Finale Bikers to make your trip seamless. With local knowledge, shuttle support and handpicked routes, they’re the crew you want guiding your Finale experience.
Ready to ride Finale like a local?
