The three hilltop (Kalnik, Ivanscica, Mohokos) MTB race is known for its unorthodox principle and it’s getting more and more popular.
On the 21st of May a little over 100 racers started in Prelog, at the banks of Drava River and lakes to conquer the three hilltops. First came Kalnik where 45 racers went towards Drenovac and back to Prelog for the “Small Marathon”.
Roughly 50 MTB and for the first time, 16 road racers, continued on towards Ivanščica, then back to Međimurje and Mohokos, only to finish in Prelog after little over 170 kilometers of road, gravel, wood trails. It took the fastest racers on the road bicycles just over 5 hours to finish the marathon, and an hour more, for the big MTB version. The overall winner of the small marathon finished the race in less than 3 hours.
For the first time, part of the Prilocki Marathon was the road race, organised by MBK Mura. Prilocki Marathon is a race with pre set check points where racers need to confirm and check passage. Otherwise, every racer picks his own route. Road marathon has proved that this concept works as well and it could be successful.
Big Marathon took racers over 170 kilometers with almost 2000 m of vertical climbs. While the small had 45 racers and 16 racers put on their gear and went to race on the road. The main difference between the “big” and “road” marathon was that the roadies didn’t climb Ivanscica because it’s 10 kilometers of rough gravel climbs. Otherwise, the marathons were otherwise similar.
Prilocki Marathon is a annual event which grows each year. Numbers get bigger, routes get better and riders get faster. If you’re around in Međimurje or Varaždin in spring 2017 this is the event you have to try out, or train for it and go for the win!
