The EX-YU TransBalkan Race is a 1,300km off-road unsupported bike packing race across the Balkans…

When

Date: June 3, 2022

Time: 8:00 am

Details

Cost: €295

Event Website

Organizer: Luca Petrinka and Beatrice Mezzena Lona

Email: HELLO@TRANSBALKANRACE.COM

This event proposes a fascinating race in a region that is still perceived as remote and inaccessible. The simultaneous proximity and distance of the Balkans depict an exotic “other” Europe. It’s an unforgettable journey across karstic landscapes and thick forests through the history of the Ex-Yugoslavia. It evokes images of war, chaos, and wild territories. Yet, these memories left today an enigmatic region, ready to be explored.

The race develops across the Dinaric Alps through some of the most remarkable National Parks of Europe. The karstic environment is prevalent along the route, creating a lunar landscape where temperatures can vary by 20 ºC in just a couple of hours. Here, also water availability is a serious concern. These moonscapes are discontinued by flourishing forests, where paths are often muddy and slippery. Briefly, the Balkan nature doesn’t do half measures.