XCM Balkan Championship

The Marathon, the sporting highlight of the festival, guarantees fun and excitement. Choose from two thrilling routes with distinct characters and relish your adventure!

The Marathon, the sporting highlight of the festival, guarantees fun and excitement. Choose from two thrilling routes with distinct characters and relish your adventure!

Collect UCI points, experience the adrenaline rush, and enjoy the race. The marathon kicks off on July 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the scenic Blidinje SKI center.
Get ready for the adventure!

Immediately after the race starts in front of the Blidinje SKI Center, riders will embark on a fast descent and ride through the Tourist Settlement Risovac. They will then exit onto the main road, turning right towards the Risovac settlement. This section is quite fast, and we believe riders will maintain a strong pace, experiencing some fast rides. At the 5th kilometer in the Lagumovići settlement, or at the famous Sovića Vrata, riders descend onto a gravel section, and the first serious ascents follow, leading towards the Gornji Gvozdac and Diva Grabovčeva.

At the 11th kilometer, the first descent follows after the ascent, where riders will take a short break and gather strength, while also starting the ride around the magnificent Vran. They will experience a ride through the picturesque forest of Mount Vran for about 10 km, then exit onto a wide gravel road, from where they will descend towards Tomislavgrad. However, they won’t reach Tomislavgrad because at the 30th kilometer, they turn left again into the forests of Mount Vran, starting a new serious ascent that, in some places, will have inclines of more than 10%, and it will last for about 4.50 km.

At the 38th kilometer, you cross the Blidinje road (regional road) where vehicle traffic is possible, so be cautious even though there will be marshals at that location. Then you enter the field and the Mučinovac forest, which comes halfway, and where the first reassessments of the strength spent and the remaining kilometers to the finish line will start. 🙂

Then, at the 50th kilometer, a beautiful sight appears when you see Blidinje Lake, and the track descends through the last sections of the Mučinovac forest. However, the happiness won’t last long because at the 54th kilometer, you start a new ascent and a new section to overcome. What is positive about this section is that, while expending energy on the final ascents, the beautiful sight and view of Blidinje Lake will always accompany you.

The ascent won’t last long because at the 62nd kilometer, there is a descent towards Blidinje Lake and the Barzonja settlement. Here, you usually have groups of fans and marshals cheering and supporting you on the way to the last kilometers. The ride alongside the beautiful Blidinje Lake will further encourage you and give you strength. There’s also a picturesque section towards Masna Luka, one of the most beautiful destinations in Blidinje Nature Park. From Masna Luka, there’s a final ascent that won’t have significant inclines, but since you’re already tired, you’ll certainly feel it and draw the last bits of strength from your legs. Entering the tourist settlement signifies that you need to accelerate and give it your all to achieve the best placement, as it is also a sign that you are entering the final meters of the track, and the finish line is just around the corner.