Maraton Franja is more than a Gran Fondo; it’s where Slovenia’s cycling story began. Slovenia and cycling are now synonymous with each other. Slovenia’s current golden generation of cyclists has dominated road racing for the past several years. Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglič, Matej Mohorič and others have won the world's biggest races, and Slovenia's cycling culture has played a big part in that success.
The Maraton Franja BTC City Gran Fondo is Slovenia’s premier Fondo event, and this year celebrates its 45th anniversary. Making it one of Europe’s oldest recreational cycling events. The event has been running for nearly half a century, and its cheering crowds, closed roads and fantastic routes make it one of the best events on the calendar.
The event itself is organised by Cycling Club Rog, where both Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar began their cycling careers. Rog also happens to be the name of a famous Slovenian bike brand that has produced bikes in Slovenia for over sixty years.
Maraton Franja takes its name from the historic Franja Partisan Hospital, a powerful symbol of Slovenia’s wartime history. The first event was held in 1982, with around 700 participants originally taking part on ordinary bikes. Year after year, the Fondo has grown in scale and reputation and now welcomes 6,000 participants who are cheered on by 20-30,000 excited spectators, creating a fantastic atmosphere for all involved.
Cyclists are always looking for new and exciting events to experience. The Maraton Franja BTC City provides the opportunity to participate in a well-established and expertly organised event in a beautiful area of Slovenia, a country less well explored by road cyclists than Mallorca or Belgium.
The event has been attended by riders from more than 80 countries. Make this the year you discover Slovenia’s rich and beautiful culture for yourself.
Three of the weekend's events are official UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifying events. Two are mass start road races, the core of the event and the third is an individual time trial event.
The Gran Fondo World Series is aimed at competitive riders who are passionate about performance or who are competing at a later age. The top 25% of riders in each age group from all of the 35 qualifying events on the UCI calendar will earn a place at the World Championships in Japan and a chance to win a rainbow jersey.
The Gran Fondo Maraton is the event's premier UCI qualifying ride at 156km in length, and will be held on the 14th of June. Thousands of spectators will line the roads to help cheer riders on as they pit themselves against the course. The flagship Gran Fondo route has everything you could want from an exciting and beautiful circuit, with flowing descents through the green countryside, challenging climbs and fast open sections.
The Triglav Medio Fondo is the second shorter event, which is also a qualifying round for the UCI World Championships Medio Fondo category. The Medio event covers a 97km course and will be held on the 14th of June.
Finally, the individual time trial event Ljubljana- Domžale- Ljubljana by Union Radler, held on June 12th, will cover a 21.2km course, serving as a qualifying event for the UCI Gran Fondo time trial Championship. All three qualifying events promise expert organisation and provide a fantastic opportunity for riders to test themselves against high-quality competition.
Aside from the performance-focused UCI qualification fondo events, the Maraton event offers four other rides on Saturday, the 13th, for riders to enjoy.
The Vzajemko 1km Kids Trail is for the event's youngest participants. This could be the fun first event for many children that helps develop a love for cycling and sees them return, progressing through the different events on offer and igniting a lifelong love for cycling.
The Medex Family & School Marathon covers 21km, and provides an easy, fun route for less experienced riders, children and families to enjoy together. One of the best parts about the festival is the fact that all cycling abilities and age ranges are catered for. A family can enjoy a relaxing and fun ride together while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Not all of the events are road-based; there is even a 77 km Barjanka powered by EES Sistemi gravel option taking in ‘white roads’ similar to the ones found on Tuscany’s famed ‘strade bianche’, so if gravel is more your bag, you can see how Slovenia’s gravel scene measures up and enjoy an off-road adventure.
Finally, the 100km LJUBLJANA DRAGON MTB CHALLENGE powered by GH Holding will appeal to off-road aficionados and takes place on forest roads near the capital. Mountain bikes, e-bikes and gravel bikes are all permitted. And eight refreshment stations ensure everyone can stay fuelled and hydrated whilst tackling the course.
The Maraton cycling festival is a part of Slovenia’s rich cycling tradition. Sign up for this special event yourself and experience firsthand why it has been one of Europe's best cycling events for half a century. Push yourself and compete against some of the world's best riders, experience a new culture and explore Slovenia's stunning scenery by bike.
