This year, 29th XCO Samobor 2022, organised by the Mountain Bike Club Šišmiš, will be held on Sunday, 5 June, at an attractive route within Tepec Forest Park.
The race will bring to Samobor more than 300 competitors from around Europe, and the bike race is particularly interesting and appealing due to its start and finish at the main town square. The race is included in the calendar of the International Cycling Federation, and the results from the race count towards the Croatian as well as the Slovenian championship.
According to articles published in many cycling media, for a number of years the race in Samobor has been one of the best organised races of its kind, not only in Croatia but in the region as well, so it is not surprising that it is loved by both foreign and domestic competitors. In addition to the start and finish in the heart of the town, the race owes its reputation also to the current route which is extremely physically and technically demanding, and which includes a challenging, yet attractive, downhill log ride and an equally demanding downhill stairs ride beneath the Samobor Old Town.
After we managed to organise the 27th and the 28th international MTB race XCO Samobor the last and the year before even under the COVID-related restrictions, this year we are preparing the 29th race. We have expanded the organising team and invested additional efforts and resources into the organisation and the quality of the race. Therefore, there are many novelties for competitors, and this year’s race also serves as an introduction into the 30th anniversary race that will take place in 2023. On Sunday, 5 June, the start and the finish will again be in the heart of the town of Samobor, at Kralj Tomislav Square and we believe we will host the best Croatian, Slovenian but also world competitors – said Luka Čanak, the President of the Mountain Bike Club Šišmiš Samobor, about the race and added: We are looking forward to yet another genuine MTB weekend in Samobor and we are inviting all fans of cycling to join us, either as competitors or as spectators. Welcome!
In addition to being challenging for competitors, who will have to invest the last atom of their strength in order to achieve good final results, the race will be extremely interesting to spectators who will be, while adhering to precautionary measures, able to observe the competition along the route –leading from the main town square, past the Samobor Museum, to the Old Town, Anindol, and Tepec Forest Park...
Highly-ranked competitors who have tested their skills in this race before present the best proof of the high quality of the race. To be precise, the following great names of the world mountain bike scene have participated in the race so far: Manuel Fumic, Vlad Dascalu, brothers Luca and Daniele Braidot, Tanja Žakelj, Yana Belomoina, Blaža Klemenčić, Barbara Benko, Andras Parti, Alexander Gehbauer, Sergii Rysenko, Catriel Soto, Uwe Hochenwarter as well as the best Croatian mountain bikers Pavao Roset, Đani Simčić, Filip Turk and many others.
Since its beginning in 1994, the race has been held on four different routes: in addition to the current most attractive route, in previous years it was also held in Stražnik Forest Park and in Otruševec, while the first two races were held in the vicinity of the Mountain Lodge Ivica Sudnik at Veliki Dol.
The official announcement, propositions and all the information on application are available at: www.xco-samobor.bbk-sismis.hr.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Samobor on 5 June!
Published: 12.05.2022.
