Trans Balkan Race

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Royse City, TX
Trans Balkan Race

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Off-road unsupported bikepacking race across the Balkans
28 May 2027 ➡️ 1500 km ⬆️ 33.000 m

11/03/2026

Halfway through the application window!

We’re officially halfway through applications for the Trans Balkan Race 2027, and what a start it’s been! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has already applied. The response to New Horizons has been beyond anything we expected, and we’re incredibly grateful for the trust and enthusiasm you’ve shown us.

We’ve now reviewed all applications submitted through Monday, November 2, and everyone in this first round will hear from us on Thursday, November 5! Keep an eye on your inbox: you’ll receive an email regardless of whether your application has been accepted or not.

And for those still thinking about applying, here’s a little heads-up: we’re getting close to capacity!

We can only welcome a limited number of riders, partly because transporting everyone’s luggage across four countries and accommodating riders at checkpoints and finish line houses is already quite the logistical adventure. And unless we figure out how to magically double the size of our trucks and CPs, we’ll have to stick to our limits!

So if the Trans Balkan Race 2027 has been on your mind, don’t leave your application until the very last minute. The regular application window closes on November 10 at 23:59 CET, and any applications exceeding our available capacity will be considered for the waiting list.

💛 A reminder for women and FLINTA* riders: we’re reserving 30% of places for you, and applications will remain open until we reach that target, even beyond the regular deadline.

📸 Exploro ― Luca Petrinka

10/24/2026

It’s almost time! ⏰

At 00:01 tonight, applications for the Trans Balkan Race 2027 finally open!

A new season is about to begin, taking us to New Horizons — and we can’t wait to find out who’ll be joining us on this journey.

If you’ve been dreaming of riding the long way south with us, this is your moment!

💌 Applications open tonight at 00:01 CEST
🏁 Race starts May 28, 2027

Chapter 6: New Horizons. Are you ready for the Balkan Party?

10/21/2026

5 days to go! 🚀

Just 5 days until applications open for the Trans Balkan Race 2027 — our annual ritual that officially kicks off a brand-new season of adventures!

Applications open October 25 at 00:01 CEST. Don’t sleep on it (literally)!

We’re keeping the process fairly similar to last year, but here’s a quick recap of everything you need to know:

1️⃣ Applications are open from October 25 to November 10. We’ll review them as they come in, so don’t wait until the last minute!

2️⃣ Fill out the application form with your personal information, select your options (tracker rental, bike box, luggage transfer, etc.), and answer a few short questions about your experience and motivation.

3️⃣ Riding as a PAIR? Both riders must submit their own individual application forms.

4️⃣ Confirm your application by completing payment for your entry fee and selected options. We’ll only review applications once payment has been received. If your application isn’t approved, you’ll receive a full refund.

We’ll get back to everyone no later than November 20!

⚠️ A little reminder about women and FLINTA* applications: we’re working toward a more balanced start line, and our first goal for 2027 is to reach at least 30% FLINTA* participation. Applications for FLINTA* riders will remain open until we reach this target.

We’re almost ready for another Balkan Party. Are you?

Trans Balkan Race 2027 ― May 28 💛

10/19/2026

New Horizons, same Balkan spirit.

The Trans Balkan Race 2027 stays true to its soul: wild, remote, and raw. But this year, we’re taking a new direction, and it’s time to give you a first full look at what’s coming!

We’re introducing around 500 km of new roads and trails, with the biggest changes taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Instead of tackling the good old (and painfully steep!) climb to Nevesinje, we’re heading farther inland than ever before, finally connecting Mostar to Sarajevo. The route will cross the mountains that hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, combining new paved and off-road sections before continuing toward Montenegro.

And there’s another big change: Checkpoint 2 is moving from Foča area right into the heart of Sarajevo!

These changes will bring a new rhythm to the race, with tons of new climbs, new landscapes, and a whole new stretch through Bosnia and Herzegovina to discover. After five editions, we’re excited to finally add this new section to the route.

2027 will show a different line across the map, but the same irresistible pull toward the Balkans.

Trans Balkan Race 2027 — Chapter 6: New Horizons

📍 Race starts May 28, 2027
💌 Applications open October 25

10/16/2026

This is what the Trans Balkan Race feels like

We could spend hours trying to explain what makes this race so special to us. We could tell you about the black mountains that never fail to give us goosebumps, about the fog rolling beneath Maglić, or about the unforgettable sunrises over the lunar islands of Kvarner.

But sometimes, words simply aren’t enough.

We’ve been keeping this video close to our hearts for a while, and today we’re finally sharing it with you!

Almost three minutes of the places we love, the landscapes that keep calling us back, and the emotions that have shaped the Trans Balkan Race over the past five editions.

These views remind us why we fell in love with the Balkans in the first place, and why, after all these years, we still can’t get enough of them. We hope that watching this gives you a little glimpse of why we keep coming back. And maybe… you’ll want to come along for the ride! So here it is 🍿

TRANS BALKAN RACE 2027
Chapter 6: New Horizons

Turn up the volume, rotate your screen, and come along for the ride 💛

💌 Applications open October 25.

10/14/2026

New Horizons: Sarajevo 1984

You guessed it! The Trans Balkan Race 2027 — Chapter 6: New Horizons is going to Sarajevo. And we’re not just passing by. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital will host Checkpoint 2 and be the biggest city ever featured on a Trans Balkan Race’s route.

Around Sarajevo, the route moves through some of the city’s most iconic mountain areas: Bjelašnica, Igman, Trebević, and Jahorina. These names might sound familiar for a reason: they were part of the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, and they are still some of the most recognizable mountains around the city!

The Olympic Mountains also give the 2027 route exactly what we were looking for: the longest Bosnian stretch we’ve ever had, new mountains to explore, new terrain and challenges, and a completely different rhythm in the middle of the race.

The Balkan Party is going full Vučko! And we can’t wait to share the final route details with you next week.

💌 Applications open October 25

📸 Exploro — Luca Petrinka

10/12/2026

New Horizons: the city in the middle

The Trans Balkan Race 2027 — Chapter 6: New Horizons is heading to a big city. A city that will also host Checkpoint 2.

All the clues are hidden in this post.

Can you name it?

📸 Exploro — Luca Petrinka

10/09/2026

New Horizons: farther inland

Everyone has a secret dream.

The kind of dream you keep closed in a drawer, far away from curious eyes. The kind you only take out late at night, when the world is quiet enough for you to sit with it, turn it around in your hands, and watch it grow.

Until one day, it becomes too big to fit back inside… and somehow, the dream is no longer just a dream.

It’s there, right in front of you.

For us, that dream has always been drawing lines on a map and then going out into the world to discover what those tiny lines are made of. Roads, trails, impossible climbs, mighty mountains, imaginary borders, dusty villages, fatigue, beauty. All the things a map can’t tell you.

That dream became the Trans Balkan Race, and now we’re taking it further than ever before, toward completely New Horizons.

There’s always something scary about sharing something new, something that lived safely in your head, with the world. You wonder if it’ll make sense outside of you. Does the dream really belong out there, or should I quietly put it back in the drawer?

Then comes the moment of proof, and you realize that the line you were afraid to draw is exactly where it needs to be.

Welcome to the 2027 Trans Balkan Race route, Lukomir and Bjelašnica highlands. We’ve dreamed of adding Bosnia and Herzegovina’s highest village for a long time!

📸 Exploro - Luca Petrinka

10/08/2026

Tick, tock. The countdown is on!

In just under 20 days, applications for the Trans Balkan Race 2027 officially open... and if you’ve been dreaming of joining the wildest off-road adventure in Europe, this is your sign to start getting ready!

🗓️ Applications open: October 25 at 00:01
🗓️ Applications close: November 10 at 23:59
🏁 Race start: May 28, 2027

Applications are reviewed as they come in, so don’t wait until the last minute: the sooner you apply, the better. You’ll fill out your details, choose your options (tracker rental, luggage transfer, etc.), and answer a few short questions about your background and motivation.

If you’re entering as a pair, remember: both riders must submit their own form (and require one tracker each).

We’re determined to increase the number of women and FLINTA* riders on the start line, with the long-term goal of moving toward a 50% ratio. We know the road to get there takes intention, consistency, and care, so for 2027, applications for women and FLINTA* riders will remain open until we reach at least 30%.

The clock is ticking. The mountains are calling. The Balkan Party is almost back. And with New Horizons ahead, it’s going to be the biggest one yet.

Trans Balkan Race 2027 ― Chapter 6: New Horizons

📸 Morten Schrøder

Address

Royse City, TX

Website

http://www.transbalkanrace.com/

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