Many of you will see the headline and ask “Where the hell is Istra Land?” The answer is that the Istrian Peninsular is located at the top of the Adriatic Sea and the land is shared between three countries – Italy, Croatia and Slovenia. It is the home of Istra Land, a 400km self-supported bikepacking event which was held at the end of September. Bikepacker and ultra-distance racer extraordinaire Sofiane Sehili took part this year and sent in this photo essay from the event.
“Istra Land is an off-road unsupported bikepacking adventure that will take you across the entire Istrian peninsula. Equipped with a GPS, you will follow a track that will lead you to discover a breathtaking and diverse region: the stunning ridge of Učka Nature Park, the charming vineyards of Motovun, the harsh cliffs of Kamenjak National Park, the olive groves of central Istria.” That’s how the organisers describe their event and it piqued Sofiane’s interest, but rather than doing it at his normal race pace, he slowed things down and completed the event in three days - #partypacenotracepace was obviously his mantra this year.
Right place, right time. Early October is a time of the year when, in many European countries, the weather starts taking a turn for the worst. Even south west of France where I live can be quite grim. But on the Adriatic coast, you have a good chance of finding sun and pleasant temperatures. A good way to make summer last just a little bit longer.
Gravel bike friendly. Gravel is often a matter of opinion. Where some see mountain bike trails, others see a fun playground for their gravel bike. So, while I’m not sure everyone will agree with me, I thought Istra Land was definitely the kind of course where a gravel bike makes more sense than an MTB. I thoroughly enjoy riding it with my 45c tyres and I wouldn’t go with a different setup.
Dolce Vita. Istria is not in Italy, I’ll give you that. But with its scenic coastline, picturesque beaches, relaxed pace and charming villages, it definitely is a good place to unwind. If you’re lucky like I was, you’ll even have the chance to go for a swim mid-ride. The water was a bit cold, but it was still quite enjoyable.
Not a race. While there will always be riders keen on reaching the finish line as fast as possible, Istra Land is not a race. It’s an event with a course and people riding it. There’s quite a few actually, and a lot are happy to take their time; just like I did with my friend Adrien. So, no matter how long it takes you - one day, two days, three or even four - you’ll always find a buddy to share the road with you if you feel like it.
The course. If there’s one thing that I value above everything in a bikepacking course, it is diversity. I need a variety of landscapes and different types of riding. Istra Land has just that. From the mountains to the sea, through the countryside and then back to the sea, you’ll never be bored with this ride. While the coast can be busy with tourists at times, the mountains are incredibly wild and unpopulated. As for the riding, you’ll find smooth gravel, techy single track, rough double tracks and fast pavement. Maybe a bit of headwind too, so bring aero bars.
Off the beaten path. While Croatia is hardly uncharted territory, it’s still somewhat lowkey when it comes to gravel cycling. Even a seasoned traveller like myself who rides bikes for a living had only been there a couple times and never off road. So, it’s a good chance to discover a destination that is a bit more exotic than France, Italy or Spain when it comes to cycling.
Community. With a pre-event social ride followed by a vegetarian friendly giant barbecue, Istra Land makes sure to give its participants a chance to gather, get to know each other and chat about the most important topic there is: riding cool bikes in cool places. The organizers are passionate people and they care deeply about bikepacking and its values. All of this shows in the event and its why many people come back year after year.
Bureks. According to Wikipedia, bureks are “a pastry made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes”. While this description is in fact accurate, it doesn’t really tell you how hearty and delicious bureks are. So, if you want to know, you need to eat one (at least). And thankfully they’re all over the place in the Balkans. They’re full of carbs and fat, so it’s the perfect cycling food. Not to mention they’re really cheap so you can eat a lot without breaking the bank.
Images courtesy of Giuliano Koren