We continue our fruitful collaboration with Soča Outdoor Festival in 2020 as well and despite this year’s main event being limited for known reasons, another milestone has been reached. In the future – following successful adaptation of the legislative framework and regulation of the situation in the Soča Valley – the mountain biking marathon will be back. After having helped lay out the running trail, Continental helped the organizers lay out the mountain biking trail as well.
Twenty-five volunteers pitched in at the volunteer work party on Saturday, and fifteen people, all linked to the cycling story of the Soča Outdoor Festival in some way, were invited to an unforgettable outing with e-bikes the following day. Among the participants were the mayors of the Tolmin and Kobarid municipalities, and representatives of organizations such as the Soča Valley Tourist Board, Alpine Association of Slovenia, Tolmin and Kobarid Mountaneering Societies, Pot miru Fundation. A representative of Continental also participated at the event, and was joined by the known Slovenian influencer Ciril Komotar.
The participants of this campaign, which is a long-term commitment, much larger than one single outing, all share one wish. They wish to find a good balance between conservation of nature and forests, and their use for recreation in the Soča Valley, which is the main Slovenian outdoor destination in the Julian Alps and the Triglav National Park. In the past ten years mountain biking has undoubtedly began to flourish and develop in the region, partly thanks to the Soča Outdoor Festival, even though legislation and infrastructure are not keeping up. A great effort, knowledge and in-depth understanding of the situation have contributed to overcoming several seemingly insurmountable obstacles. With the cooperation of all the stakeholders, the route of the XC mountain biking marathon has been traced outside any sensitive natural areas, and complies with the environmentally acceptable routes as defined in the management plan of the Triglav National Park. All this because the fundamental idea is to ensure long-term and inclusive development of biking activities in this region. Continental has helped by contributing to the project, including setting-up service stations for cyclists. The first service station should soon be set up at Planina Kuhinja.
With the mountain biking marathon, the Soča Outdoor Festival is therefore back on its track towards becoming one of the best outdoor events in Europe. Although we will have to wait one year longer, the cycling story will doubtlessly be a very important part of the offer both for the festival as well as the destination as a whole.
And the Soča Valley most certainly has a lot to offer!
If you want to read more about the story, visit the Soča Outdoor Festival website or watch the story by POP TV.