Trofeo Li Scorpi

The Trofeo Li Scorpi: MTB in the heart of Salento

The Trofeo Li Scorpi is one of the most established cross-country mountain bike races in Salento. It takes place in Neviano, a small town in the Province of Lecce, Puglia, where dozens of bikers challenge each other every year on a natural course that runs entirely within the municipal territory. Founded in 2011, the event is organized by the Società Ciclistica Aradeina, a historic cycling association in Salento, and over the years it has become a classic event awaited by the entire regional off-road movement.

The course: 28 km through the olive groves of Neviano

The race headquarters is the Abbey of San Nicola di Macugno, the meeting point for participants, while the actual start takes place from Strada Vicinale Specchia after a short escorted transfer. The track measures approximately 7 kilometers to be repeated four times, for a total of about 28 km with a total elevation gain of 110 meters. It is a technical and varied circuit, consisting of dirt roads, short climbs, and natural passages that wind through the olive groves and countryside surrounding the town, testing both the physical endurance and technical skills of the competitors.

A key event in the Bicinpuglia circuit

The Trofeo Li Scorpi is not an isolated event: it is part of the Bicinpuglia UISP circuit and, specifically, the Challenge Bike Salento, the off-road championship that gathers the main mountain bike races in the area. For this reason, the race attracts bikers from all over Puglia and features numerous categories, from Juniors to Masters, as well as Elite and Master women. The race's position in the calendar changes from year to year depending on the provincial circuit schedule, shifting between spring and the beginning of the season.

Neviano and the Abbey of San Nicola di Macugno

Racing in the Trofeo Li Scorpi is also an opportunity to discover Neviano and its hinterland. The Abbey of San Nicola di Macugno, which frames the gathering, is one of the symbolic places of the territory, immersed in a typically Salento agricultural landscape. The race day thus combines sport with hospitality: in addition to the competition, there is no shortage of services for participants and moments of conviviality that make the Trofeo Li Scorpi much more than just a simple time-trial race.