Again it is time for Slovenian cycling plateau
For Slovenian amateur cyclists, the « race of all races » is approaching as Franja Marathon says its director Gorazd Penko. But over the years, the largest mass festival of pedals in our country has become much more than Sunday’s 156-kilometer test, which was first organized by KD Rog in 1982. The three-day event now includes old and young, drivers and the most expensive carbon specials, and now electric bikes.
Franja, whose growth was only temporarily slowed down by the Coronavirus pandemic, was already shining in full splendor last year. The organizers returned Friday Time to the program, and Franjo 2024 exceeded 6,000 participants for the first time since 2019, with 6,337 cyclists and cyclists counted on six trials. The chronometer, the family and school marathon, the children’s challenge, the Barjanka, the Great and the Little Marathon will be scheduled for this time, and Penko and his colleagues added to them the Ljubljana Mountain Bikes Challenge.
Gorazd Penko is the director of the Franj Marathon since 2002. Photo: Leon Vidic
It is so demanding with almost 100 kilometers and as much as 2,500 meters that, especially for those who do not have hundreds or thousands of kilometers of cycling in their feet, recommend participating with electric bikes. In doing so, Franja has included almost all kinds of bicycles in its content, which can be seen on Slovenian roads, macadam trails and one -way.
“The electrical segment is in the big rise and it was logical to include it in our event. In doing so, we also encourage the installation of electric bicycles on farm tourism in the surrounding area of Ljubljana, « Penko said of the last acquisition of the Franjo Marathon, which he has been running since 2002.
“The event is similar from year to year, and every year there is a new problem. Franja is always a challenge for all the abilities of people in the club and others who support us. This year is special because of the new route, but we will not stop. Another new project awaits us in the coming years, « said the successor Zvonet Zanoskar.
Numbers similar to last year’s
Mountaineering novelty, which will feature triplets of cyclists and not individuals for safety, is still in its infancy, everything else is part of the iron repertoire of the marathon. It will be opened by about 300 participants in Friday’s time. Saturday’s Barjanka promises a record participation of about 600 cyclists, the dragon challenge until yesterday 18 triples were registered, and the biggest will be again by participation in the family-school marathon.
Schedule 44. Marathon Franjo. Infographics: Work
It was attended by 2,116 cyclists last year, just over 1,700 this year, but this number usually rises strongly just before the rightest. About 1,300 participants are expected at a large marathon, about 1,900 in small, so the total numbers will be expected to be similar to last year. Otherwise, even more so, as a multitude of participants, it is impressed by the fact that Franjo, as fans, have taken the inhabitants of the places living along its routes as their fans. Last year it was a holiday for 100,000 Slovenes, and this will probably be the case this year. Again, it’s time for our cycling Planica.
