Lots of new things for the third race of the season on the Cilenca Trails. Record turnout and sunshine await us at the popular venue for the weekend.
After the Primorska region tour with the opening ‘Day’ and the first two rounds of the season (Ajdovščina – Nova Gorica – Ilirska Bistrica), the SloEnduro series moves deeper into the continent with the third round. To Zagorje ob Savi in Zasavje, central Slovenia! The Zagorska dolina Cycling Association has hosted the series in its Cilenca Trails park, which has been in operation since 2021, in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and last year they held a non-competitive SloEnduro Day.
For this occasion, the hosts worked on their trails even harder than usual in the pre-season and prepared one brand new trail, the Ragnarock. They also put a lot of work into the Forest Bump flow, which has new sections. Participants of previous races (and non-races) on the Cilenca Trails will be happy to know that the French Connection trail no longer has those 40 vertical meters ‘in the wrong direction’.
Competition
The 232 entries from eight countries is a new record for participation on the Cilenca. Among the entries there are a number of participants from last weekend’s World Cup in Poland, headed by women’s junior winner Nežka Libnik, Slovakia’s Luboš Staňo (46th place), Áron Babó who won the junior open race, Nejc Huth who won the 35+ category, and of course David Ivartnik and Miha Smrdel. Vid Peršak is obviously waiting for the national championship, and he won’t be putting on the SloEnduro number plate this time either.
Staňo and Babó won the first two races and have one second place each, so they are at the top of the leaderboard with 700 points each. Third is Italian junior Simone Leo, who is not among the entries this time, followed by Smrdel and junior Ian Laharnar, who of course entered the battle at Cilenca.
Nežka’s closest rival will again be Slovakia’s Valentina Grandova, with seven women entered.
In the U17 category it’s getting wilder and wilder, with 56 riders registered!
List of entries on prijavim.se
Course
The long course categories will ride a course of 21 kilometres with five special stages and 1050 vertical metres of climbs and descents. For those on e-bikes, there is of course one more stage. The Shimano SuperStage will be held on the Jumanji track.
See video below for explanation how the trails were named.
More details about the SloEnduro Cilenca course
Besides the Course
The Evropark Sports Centre near the town of Zagorje ob Savi has already proved to be an excellent venue where competitors and teams love to spend three days. Once again, the organisers will provide catering, there will be a small expo, points of interest for spectators along the routes will be markes, and there could a small side event for the riders after Saturday’s practice.
Live times on Sunday
Details of the SloEnduro Cilenca in the propositions
Weather
Some rain on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday and Sunday will be sunny but cool, with temperatures staying below 20 degrees, according to our research.
