Trans Balkan Race

Trans Balkan Race Off-road unsupported bikepacking race across the Balkans
29 May 2026 ➡️ 1400 km ⬆️ 30.000 m

05/29/2026

DAY 1: Turn up the heat

Today, the Balkans turned up the heat. As if the route needed any help feeling harder.

Sure, the climbs still have the same gradient. The rough double tracks are still rough. And the distances between resupplies points are still…endless. But under this sun, everything changes.

Every exposed section feels longer, every refill becomes even more essential, every patch of shade feels like a small miracle.

And the next days might bring even more complexity.

The weather forecasts remain unclear, but the next few days will bring a little more variability. Possible storms after lunchtime will become more likely as heat builds up during the day. The route could either turn even hotter or shift into wet wet riding.

📸 .nik._

DAY 1: Welcome to Slovenia 🇸🇮Čičarija has proved to be a test (and taste) of this Balkan adventure: a remote and dry are...
05/29/2026

DAY 1: Welcome to Slovenia 🇸🇮

Čičarija has proved to be a test (and taste) of this Balkan adventure: a remote and dry area where riders hardly meet anyone (or anything), but the landscapes are breathtaking!

It all comes with a price, tho. The surface is far from smooth, and climb gradients are not friendly: from flying bottles to lost bananas, we’ve seen it all!

In this section, the route follows the border between Slovenia and Croatia for around 10 km and crosses it a couple of times too, before settling for a longer Slovenian stretch.

The women’s race is always led by #146 followed by #190 .is.luise and #105 all in less than 500 m! #99 follows around 15 minute behind the tree.

The pairs are also battling, and and 187p are currently leading. Not far behind 194s and 195s follow!

133 has been forced to take a long stop to repair a malfunctioning brake at a local bike shop, and is now back on route with a 30 km gap from the current race leader. In the meantime, 100 has taken the first position, with 140 hot on his heels!

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TBR2026 transbalkanrace balkanparty bikepacking ultracycling

DAY 1: Balkan appetizerOff to Slovenia, then! We’re not done climbing yet (and honestly, we’ll never really be done clim...
05/29/2026

DAY 1: Balkan appetizer

Off to Slovenia, then! We’re not done climbing yet (and honestly, we’ll never really be done climbing on this route).

After passing Kozina, riders face another 10 km of climbing to reach the top of Mt. Slavnik, the highest peak in Slovenian Istria. From Trieste, that makes for a good 1,200 m of climbing over just under 30 km. Not bad for an appetizer! The view extends over the Primorska coastline and all the way to the Julian Alps.

From here, the route climbs toward Čičarija highlands, following the mountain ridge above the Kvarner Gulf and pointing riders toward the Croatian border.

The current race leader is #133 , followed closely by chasers #100 #153 #96

The women’s leader is #146 with 190 .is.luise sitting less than a minute behind and 105 also within eyesight!

📸 .cc
TBR2026 transbalkanrace balkanparty bikepacking ultracycling

05/29/2026

DAY 1: Mid-day recap

The Trans Balkan Race 2026 is officially on!

1.5 hours after the start, the riders are already deep into the first climb, and we’re waiting for the first dots to appear on top of the second one.

The start was fast and full of that nervous energy we all know too well: last hugs, final checks, big smiles, and then suddenly… silence.

Now the race begins to stretch across the Balkans.

📸 .nik._

DAY 1: Warm-upVal Rosandra: the first wild gate of the race!Just outside Trieste, riders enter the Val Rosandra Natural ...
05/29/2026

DAY 1: Warm-up

Val Rosandra: the first wild gate of the race!

Just outside Trieste, riders enter the Val Rosandra Natural Reserve: a limestone valley carved over millions of years by water, wind, and tectonic forces at the edge of the Karst plateau.

Old railway lines, pale cliffs, dry stone, and the first taste of the Balkans ahead.

So while we wait for the first updates — and to see who takes the lead — keep an eye on the tracking map. We assign bonus points for whoever gets the current KOM/QOM on the Cottur bike path 👀

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DAY 1: They’re off!And just like that, the Balkan party has begun! 172 riders, 22 women, 15 pairs, and the whole race wa...
05/29/2026

DAY 1: They’re off!

And just like that, the Balkan party has begun! 172 riders, 22 women, 15 pairs, and the whole race waiting to unfold.

Ahead of them: borders, mountains, heat, storms, empty plateaus, broken roads, long climbs, small villages, checkpoint hugs, bad decisions, good decisions, and all the strange little moments that only happen when you ride across the Balkans on your own.

The race will slowly do what it always does: strip things down to the bare necessities, open hearts up, and show to each and every one something about themselves.

So, to every rider on the start line: welcome to the adventure. Ride smart. Take care of yourself. And don’t forget to look around and enjoy the view.

The Balkans are ready for you.

📸 .cc

05/29/2026

DAY 1: Welcome to the Balkan Party

Trieste, 9:00. At the very reasonable Balkan early hour, riders line up at the start, and they’re quickly off-road!

The first section follows the Cottur bike path: a green highway leading riders out of the city center and straight into Slovenia. After just 10 km, it’s already time for the first border crossing of the race. Bye, Italy 🇮🇹

This bike path may look peaceful and scenic, but don’t be fooled. With its smooth surface and steady uphill gradient, it almost begs riders to push the pace. We like to think of it as the first bottleneck of the race!

Who will resist the temptation? Who will ask too much, too soon? And who will use this opening stretch to start making moves?

Either way, this is where the pack begins to stretch, split, and get ready for what comes next!

📸 .nik._

DAY 0: The wait is overThe bags are packed, the bikes are loaded, and the energy in Trieste is electric.Everything is re...
05/28/2026

DAY 0: The wait is over

The bags are packed, the bikes are loaded, and the energy in Trieste is electric.

Everything is ready for the grand depart of the 5th edition of the Trans Balkan Race — and this is the biggest lineup we’ve ever had!

180 riders coming from 25 different nations, all gathered in Trieste. The city is definitely feeling the buzz as riders arrive to pick up their welcome packs, collect trackers, drop off luggage, get documents stamped, and try to look calm while doing the final mental math of “did I pack enough snacks?”

We have 24 women at the start, including some of the strongest names in bikepacking. The women’s FKT? It’s officially in danger!

We also have 30 riders taking on the race in PAIRS, which will bring another layer of strategy, and, for the first time in Trans Balkan Race history, we have two single-speed riders on the start list… Because apparently gears are optional and suffering is not 🏔️

Today is about arrivals, reunions, nervous laughs, final checks, and that strange feeling before a race begins. This is when everything is still clean, organized, and full of possibility!

Tomorrow, the wheels turn for real. The Balkans will do the rest.

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Dear 2025, you were the most fun, chaotic, adventurous, inspiring ride we could have imagined.1–2 komoot Montenegro Madn...
12/31/2025

Dear 2025, you were the most fun, chaotic, adventurous, inspiring ride we could have imagined.

1–2 komoot Montenegro Madness Women’s Rally: 60 FLINTA* riders on our favorite trails in the Black Mountains. Pure power. Impossible to top as a season kick-off 💚
3–4 Trans Balkan Race: la crème de la crème of ultracycling chasing the wild side of the Balkans. We laughed until we cried.
5–6 Montenegro Mountain Madness, the race: fierce racing on our all-time favorite route. 10/10 would do again.
7–8-9 Lael’s Women Croatia Rally: grateful to help keep this project rolling, and to witness what happens when women get space to shine in bikepacking, together 💜
10–11 Istra Land: summer, gravel, friendship, and the last long ride of the season 🏖️ We were running on fumes… and it still somehow filled the tank.

And honestly... there’s more to 2025 than a carousel can hold. What stays with us is the people: friends and family who keep us grounded, share our values, and keep pushing us to build something better, year after year.

Here’s to a 2026 we already know will be challenging and inspiring. Bring it on 🔥

📸 .cc and

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