Julian Alps, Slovenia

As cobblestones go, they are exceptionally smooth to ride – it’s just you don’t expect to find them on a modern mountain pass. This is Vršič Pass, a 1,611m-high gem of Slovenia’s Triglav National Park in the magnificent Julian Alps. Cobbles remain intact on the many switchbacks of the northern Kranjska Gora side of the climb, and precede a smooth, fast run down the southern side into Trenta. In all, there are 50 bends across its 24km, each numbered, like Alpe d’Huez, the Tour de France’s best-known climb, whose patrons pinched the idea from the Vršič. Built by Russian prisoners of war during WW1, the chapel at 4km on the northern side honours their comrades killed in an avalanche during its construction. Slovenia as a road cycling destination was less…

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Cycling Plus (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2024

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