After a break for two SloEnduro Days (and the monsoon), the SloEnduro series resumes this weekend. The third race of the year is on the line, and we’re back in Koroška region in Northern Slovenia, in town of Mežica.
Last year was the first time we stopped at this new venue in Koroška, and despite the almost continuous wash from above, the event was a great success. It’s not going to rain this weekend, it looks like barely any or even no rain at all. So clearly we are in for a great race and all that goes with it.
The organisers from the young Pendalna Club of Mežica have prepared four special stages and a “power stage” for on the Southern side of Petzen mountain on the Austrian Border.
The total length of the 21 km long course is not too scary, but 1225 vertical metres of climbs and descents sounds like a good enough challenge.
The first Lost Goat stage may sound familiar, it’s a stage of the 2018 EWS race. But last year’s SloEnduro Perkmandlc included the lower section, while this time the upper, more technical section will be used. It finishes right where last year’s stage started.
The second stage, the Perkmandlc, is the same as last year, but the third stage A-drog is completely new: steep, with some drops. The last stage, Kanal, this year Shimano’s SuperStage, has a modified first part with more turns, and there are also some speed reduction measures in the last part.
Primož Doler, the event director, is satisfied with what has been done on trails. It won’t be a flow race, it will be a real, a little bit roughed up enduro. If the weather goes roughly as predicted, most of it should dry out nicely, just don’t expect Lost Goat to get dusty.
The start will be as last year from the centre of Mežica, in front of the Narodni dom theater.
Competition
211 riders from eight countries are registered for the second edition of SloEnduro Perkmandlc.
The men will start with the complete top ten of the standings after the first two races in the Primorska region, Kamplc in Ajdovščina and Borovci in Ilirska Bistrica, missing only Italian junior Simone Leo (Wolf Racing Team), who is in 10th place. Local hero Vid Peršak (Unior-Sinter Factory Racing), winner of Kamplc, has a 50-point advantage over Borovci winner Miha Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh). Both have competed in three World Cup races in the meantime, so the home race could be a snack for them – or not. Third in the rankings is Smrdel’s teammate Jernej Kavčič.
On the long course, some of the 17 juniors are sure to be among the fastest – Hungary’s Áron Babó (FRO Racing) and Slovenian Maks Struna (KK Završnica) are both part of the overall top ten.
David Ivartnik (Golovec Trails), second man overall in the final standings last year, is coming back from shoulder surgery. There will be a few fast Austrians and other foreigners going for the top, so let’s see if they can get in the mix.
The women’s race will also be highlighted by three Austrians, with Sabrina Eberhard (Radlager Racing Division) leading the way, third in the standings. Only Maja Vojska (MBK Črni Vrh) is ahead of her in second place and the series leader Maša Komel (KK Črn trn), the winner of Borovci, who was only beaten by German star Raphaela Richter at Kamplc.
Local U17 rider Nežka Libnik (KK Ravne), on the other hand, may challenge all the older competitors from the long course again at the Shimano SuperStage.
List of registered riders
You sgould know the schedule by now
On Saturday training from 11 am, on Sunday race from 9.30 am.
SloEnduro Perkmandlc Propositions
Course presentation
Live timing on Sunday at timing.sportident.com
The weather
Partly cloudy for the weekend in Mežica with temperatures up to 25 degrees, of course a bit cooler at the top of the circuit.
Last year’s photos by Matej Lovrič
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