More than 200 touring cyclists on the 1850...

More than 200 touring cyclists on the 1850-kilometre STKP for friendlier legislation.



The sun accompanied the brave ones on 1 June as they pedalled along the Slovenian Touring Cycle Route (STKP), which encircles the land on the sunny side of the Alps in 41 stages. The Migimigi challenge succeeded! More than 200 mountaineers on bikes collectively cycled the 1850-kilometre circular route in individual stages, symbolically connecting Slovenia and thus showcasing its tourist potential and expressing the desire for friendlier legislation and more extensively marked trails.







"The Slovenian Touring Cycle Route is one of the most extensive PZS projects in recent times, which we planned with similar motives as the now very popular Slovenian Mountain Trail in the fifties - to offer cyclists a route on which they will cycle through all the most important Slovenian mountain areas, relax in the natural environment and get to know important places from mountaineering and ethnographic history. Numerous touring cyclists and trail markers across Slovenia are involved in the creation and maintenance of the STKP, and with the STKP in one day action, we tried to present it to as wide a circle of touring cyclists as possible and encourage them to set out on it in the coming summer, as it is not time-limited; what counts and lasts long are the experiences on the route. On the tours, our guides familiarised the cyclists with the proper attitude towards the natural environment and other visitors to the mountains," explained Jože Rovan, President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) and the conceptual father of the STKP, who on 1 June led the most visited first stage from Ljubljana to Medvode or Škofja Loka.







On the Migimigi challenge Cycle the Slovenian Touring Cycle Route in one day, groups of touring cyclists under the guidance of volunteer leaders across the country spun their pedals on individual sections of the circular route on the same day, which passes through all the most important mountain groups and visits 112 checkpoints, including 52 mountain huts and numerous important mountaineering and tourist landmarks. On 1 June, according to the data collected so far, more than 200 touring cyclists cycled the STKP, from two to 37 on each stage adapted to the one-day event. Satisfied faces said it all and more, and neither steep ascents, punctured tyres nor mud spoiled the cheerful atmosphere with views.







"I am pleased that we successfully carried out the joint STKP tour in one day for mountaineers on bikes. As far as I know, there has been no similar recreational event in touring cycling before. The entire organisation was based on the initiative of volunteers, members of mountaineering societies who also engage in touring cycling. The implementation itself confirmed the proverb: One gram of practice is worth more than a ton of books. With the coordinated execution of the tour, we gained valuable additional information about the route and possible improvements, both logistical and on the route itself. The announcement of the tour attracted amateur touring cyclists who explore nature by bike, and one of the positive effects was also the exchange of experiences between more and less experienced cyclists and guides who led individual stages," assessed Atila Armentano, Head of the PZS Touring Cycling Commission, who led the stage from Petrov Brdo to the Planinska koča na Uskovnici.







Touring cycling is an increasingly popular way of recreation in nature, and united touring cyclists have once again shown that they want more attention from the state, Armentano highlighted after the event: "I am convinced that 1 June 2019 will remain recorded from the perspective of the development of touring cycling in Slovenia as one of the milestones that lead us to friendlier legislation. With the response of cyclists to the invitation, we have shown that legislators can no longer overlook the popularity of touring cycling among Slovenes, let alone among guests from abroad. We want the formal-legal frameworks to be regulated as soon as possible, so that upon fulfilment of this condition, we can focus on the development of proper, sustainable and nature conservation-oriented touring cycling. With the organisation of STKP in one day, we have proven that we mountaineers on bikes as PZS members are capable of actively participating in shaping and implementing legislation in this area, of course always in cooperation with other groups that accept the natural environment as their second home."







The entire 1850-kilometre route of the Slovenian Touring Cycle Route has more than 50,000 metres of ascent, the highest point is Poštarski dom na Vršiču (1688 m), the lowest are Piran and Sečoveljske soline (1 m), and the longest stage with the greatest elevation difference stretches 66.8 kilometres and 1882 metres of ascent from Dom na Peci to Dom planincev v Logarski dolini. It runs along quiet side roads, field paths, forest tracks and trails, but is not technically particularly demanding as it targets a wide range of cyclists, though it is strenuous in places and sometimes the bike has to be pushed. The popularity of the STKP is evidenced by the fact that the Logbook of the Slovenian Touring Cycle Route with stamps is filled by more than 2300 cyclists, and 16 have already completed it in full.







"The basic STKP route measures a full 1850 kilometres, which requires about five weeks of cycling. Shortly after opening the route, we realised that for many cyclists this is probably too big a mouthful, especially thinking of foreigners from more distant places. Therefore, in some areas of the STKP, we connected them into rounded units, so-called loops, which require only a few days. This year we are starting to develop the Julian and Zasavje loop, with financial contribution from the tourism industry, which has recognised the economic potential of the route," Rovan unfolds plans for the future, which would not be possible without great support in the past and present: "Thanks for the support to tireless volunteers on the ground and to the Adriatic Slovenica insurance company, which will allocate five thousand euros for the installation of STKP signs for the third year in a row and, in addition, within the Migimigi programme, encourages greater recognition of the STKP." The challenge remains the further marking and signing of the STKP with directional signs, with which a third of the route is already equipped, namely in the municipalities of Maribor and Kranjska Gora, in Dolenjska and Bela krajina, in most of Zasavje, Slovenske Gorice, Koroška and Primorska, and parts of Notranjska, Kozjansko and Kočevsko.







"Active spending of free time and holidays is still on the rise, as is the visit to long-distance trails, both hiking and cycling. There is something in human nature that drives us to conquer trails and surpass ourselves, and we mostly achieve this on longer trails. The Slovenian Touring Cycle Route, which already now includes 112 checkpoints, including 52 mountain huts, thus more than half and the rest also tourist offerings, has tremendous tourist potential to become Slovenia's central tourist cycling product. The STKP in 1 day event gave us insight into one-day tours organised in different parts of Slovenia or from different starting points, with which we gained information on logistical needs and field data that will certainly serve for further development of the STKP," explains Karmen Razlag, coordinator of guides for STKP in one day, otherwise an advisor for planning and implementation of tourist projects at the Maribor - Pohorje Tourist Institute, on Saturday a touring cycling guide from Gorišnica to Maribor.







The touring cycling challenge was also attended by Migimigi ambassadors Trkaj, Andrej Hauptman and Matjaž Šerkezi, thus further encouraging a healthy spirit in a healthy body. The STKP in one day event was prepared in collaboration by mountaineering societies or touring cycling sections and their touring cycling guides and the PZS Touring Cycling Commission with the support of Adriatic Slovenica insurance company and other partners - the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, the Sports Foundation, Slovenian Railways and Intersport Slovenia.





If, under the impression of this unique tour, you would like to support the equipping and maintenance of the STKP, cyclists can still make a voluntary donation until 15 June to the account SI56 6100 0001 6522 551 at Delavska hranilnica, model 00, reference 3-10-10, purpose: STKP.