More than 500 brands, bikes to test, World Cup racing and free entry: the biggest-ever Sea Otter Europe 2026 arrives this weekend

The Shimano Sea Otter Europe Costa Brava-Girona by Garmin 2026 is about to begin. From Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, Girona will once again become one of the major meeting points for international cycling with a particularly significant edition. The festival celebrates ten years and will do so with the largest exhibition space and brand presence in its history.

The organization hopes to surpass the figures of the 2025 edition, which gathered 74,000 visitors. To achieve this, Sea Otter Europe is expanding this year by 10% in exhibition space, exceeding 500 brands present and preparing three practically uninterrupted days of competitions, presentations, bike tests, and activities for enthusiasts and professionals.

Entry is free but must be obtained here.

The Sea Otter Europe 2026 opens its doors this Friday in Girona

The tenth edition of Sea Otter Europe will once again have one of its main attractions in the exhibition area. More than 500 international brands will be present in Girona, and many will take advantage of the event to showcase their latest innovations and hold various presentations and activities.

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But one of the particularities that has made Sea Otter Europe a unique event in the calendar is that visitors are not limited to walking through the stands. The Demobike will allow free testing of bikes from more than 40 brands on prepared routes around the festival. The success of this formula was evident last year, when more than 4,600 reservations were recorded.

As we explained in our preview guide to Sea Otter Europe 2026, entry to the venue is free, although it is necessary to obtain it in advance, and the Demobike bikes can be reserved before attending the festival.

XCM World Cup, Gravel, and plenty of MTB throughout the weekend

The competition will once again occupy an important part of the program. Among the main events will be the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup, which will arrive in Girona to compete in the last race of the season, where David Valero is vying for the overall victory in the XCM World Cup.

The 226ERS UCI Gravel World Series will also be held, qualifying for the Gravel World Championship, in addition to the Shimano Super Cup Massi of XCO, the Spanish XCE Championship, the Continental Series XCE, and the XCC Continental Series. 

The program will also allow fans to transition from spectators to participants. The SCOTT Marathon BTT, the XCM World Cup Open, La Tramun Curta, the Ciclobrava by Lapierre, or the Continental Gravel Ride Tour are part of a sports offering that aims to cover different disciplines and levels. 

Three days to celebrate the ten years of Sea Otter Europe

Beyond the races and product innovations, the growth of Sea Otter Europe over this decade has turned the event in Girona into something broader than a conventional bike fair.

The venue will be divided this year into four large areas, with spaces dedicated to brands, competitions, Demobike, industry professionals, dining, and family activities. There will also be presentations by riders, live music, DJ sessions, children's activities, open conferences, and various gastronomic proposals.

Everything will begin this Friday, September 18 and continue until Sunday, September 20. Ten years after its first edition, Sea Otter Europe is thus facing its largest edition to date, with more than 500 brands and three days in which Girona will once again concentrate a good part of the current events in European cycling.