This weekend, on September 14, the fifth and penultimate race of the Slovenian Downhill Cup 20chocolate Downhill Cup will take place on Soriška planina.
Slovenski pokal v spustu 20chocolate Downhill Cup se 13. in 14. septembra vrača na zdaj že klasično prizorišče na Soriški planini. Tri tedne po skupni dirki z avstrijskim pokalom na Belem jezeru (Weissensee) na Koroškem se utegne na progi pod Lajnarjem skupna razvrstitev že počasi razplesti.
Classic With a Twist
Soriška planina has been hosting downhill races more or less regularly since 2014, and for three years in a row (from 2021 to 2023) it has also hosted the national championship. The fastest riders complete the 1650 m long track with a 280 m elevation difference in less than three minutes, with last year’s winning time by Miha Jerkič being two minutes and 34 seconds.
After the rocky section in the upper part of the track, a new section is being built, but the details are not yet revealed. Otherwise, the track is more or less classic, similar to the one used for last summer’s race.
Field
Today, Monday 8 September, was supposed to be the last day for registration, but the deadline has been extended to Wednesday, so the list is still filling up.
Among the men’s elite these riders were already registered over the weekend: the four-time winner of Soriška planina (2016, 2017, 2021, and 2023) Luka Berginc (Coast Riders), last year’s Soriška planina winner and last weekend’s World Championship participant Miha Jerkič (427 Savage Squad), and Croatian champion Fran Bošnjak (BBK Šišmiš). If the leader in the rankings, national champion Marko Niemiz, does not appear at the start after competing in the World Championships in Switzerland, Berginc will be in an excellent position to take the lead. Luka’s team mate, Croatian Matija Crnković, who is currently in third place, is already too far behind the leader.
Among the women, the winner of DH Planina and the leader in the series rankings, Maša Komel (427 Savage Squad), is coming. She is already the winner of the series before the last two races, but there could be a battle for second and third place.
German champion Vicent Vodan is coming to challenge the Slovenian juniors. At the top of the rankings is Matej Osolin (Golovec trails), who was second at Poseka. Four different juniors have won the four races, so no one has many points, so Vodan, who already has some points from Maribor, can quickly close in on the top.
The U17 men, led by national champion Svit Kunaver Smolkovič (Bikehanic – Lumar), will once again try to beat Croatian Šimun Juras (BK Fortica), winner of Poseka and Weissensee, and close the gap on him in the rankings.
List of registered riders and registration on prijavim.se
Schedule
According to the established schedule of the series, the seeding run will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and the final run at 4 p.m. This will be followed by the award presentation at the finish area.
The track will be open for riding on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., when the Lajnar chairlift will also be operating.
Details and registration in propositions
Let’s ride!
And not just the competitors. On the day for familiarizing with the course, Saturday, September 13, at 2 p.m., a free guided cycling tour will start from the parking lot as part of the Let’s Go Cycling! program of the Cycling Federation of Slovenia.