The SloEnduro series returns to Kočevje and the battle for the overall titles is on! We don’t expect much dust, but the course shouldn’t be too wet either, the forecast is better for Sunday.
The hole in the calendar was long after the postponement and then cancellation of SloEnduro Maribor – we last raced for SloEnduro series points (and also for national championship titles) at the end of June in Gorjanci.
With the fifth and penultimate race, we are excited to return to the venue that hosted the SloEnduro Series races in 2020 and 2021, and also the national championship in ’20. Previously, Kočevje hosted the SloEnduro 4Fun series in 2019, and in 2017 and 2018 they have already trained their organisational skills with their “independent” Enduro Kočevje event.
The Course
Since the last time SloEnduro unfurled its flags at the base of the MTB trail centre Kočevje, the locals have been building there diligently. Of course, they will also incorporate some new features into the course.
We originally said that there would be six stages on the long course, but then we weighed the course together to accumulate 1,250 vertical metres over four stages. Of these, two are from the top to the bottom of the park, making them the longest in SloEnduro this year. Each descends more than 400 metres. In 2020, a similar stage to this year’s SS4 only meant less than seven minutes of work for the winner, Vid Peršak. This time it won’t be any easier, at least the upper part is flowing, followed by an as yet unnamed part from the road to the middle of the lower part, which is steep and off-camber, of course also less ridden in and therefore could be more soggy, and the finish on the Pod zajlo trail isn’t exactly “flow” either. The first test of the day, a combination of Jezna čebela and Kanal, is more technical.
So much for the feel of the course this time, details here:
SloEnduro Kočevje | The Course
Weather?
These days it’s hard to say, but it’s definitely looking better for Sunday. There will certainly be some rain on the course by then, but most of the trails are well packed down.
In the Standings Before the Last Two Races
In the men’s overall standings, Vid Peršak (Unior – Sinter) has amassed 1500 points and a nice advantage with three wins in four races, but he can’t be counted on to ride tactically in the last two races. Defending SloEnduro champion Miha Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) is already 600 points behind in second place with one win, two third places and one zero (he was injured and did not compete in Mežica). Miha’s teammate Jernej Kavčič is in third place 120 points down. All of them will be at the start, as well as the fourth-placed Hungarian junior Áron Babó (FRO Racing).
In the women’s category, Maša Komel (KK Črn trn) leads with two wins, second and third place and a total of 1330 points. Lucija Mlinar (KK Ravne na Koroškem) and Maja Vojska (MBK Črni Vrh) follow in second and third place with over 400 points behind. Tina Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) is not defending her title this year and she will not be on the start list this time either. Austria’s Sabrina Eberhard (Radlager Racing Division), fourth in the standings, will try to shake things up.
Among the juniors, Tian Pečnik (KK Ravne na Koroškem) and Maks Struna (KK Završnica) are on the hunt for Babo, 210 and 280 points behind. In the U17 men, the undefeated Ian Laharnar (Kamplc Racing Team) can only theoretically squander a big advantage, with Tine Gračner (Golovec Trails) and Sven Podvornik (427 Savage Squad) competing for second place more than 700 points behind him. Nežka Libnik (KK Ravne na Koroškem) is equally unstoppable in the U17 women, as is Jakob Praček in the U15 boys, who had to settle for second place only once with three wins.
169 riders from Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia are registered.
SloEnduro Series standings
Registered riders
On Sunday the race starts at 9.30. Join us!
Details about SloEnduro Kočevje in propositions
Live timing on Sunday at timing.sportident.com
