At the beginning of November last year we interviewed Cristina Vojic Krajcar, Marketing Manager of the Istrian Tourist Board. With her we talked about the first edition of the Nova Eroica Istria and how cycling tourism is evolving in the Croatian region, thanks to the cycle path Parenzana but not only.
Il first weekend of May, so very soon, it will already be time for the second edition of the event dedicated to gravel A modern boat that will also depart from Novigrad this year. So we contacted Vojić Krajcar again to get a sneak preview of the new arrivals.
Cristina, is there anything new for this second edition?
We are working on many details to further improve the event and make it even more memorable Compared to the first edition, which still went very well. We've made some changes to the routes, eliminating some problematic sections, especially after the first refreshment point. This will make them more fluid and interesting. Then We want to confirm the quality of refreshments based on our products, from honey to wines and truffles, which were highly appreciated by all the participants.
Getting into specifics, what changes?
Il the first refreshment point will be moved to Verteneglio, right in the city center. This choice was also made to better involve the local population, who will be able to experience the cyclists' passage and the festive spirit that reigns that day. We also made the short route more attractive, passing it for example also through Grisignana, one of the pearls of our territory, as was already the case for the other two tracks. We also decided to reduce the registration fee for this distance, because it seemed more correct to us than the other routes that include up to seven refreshment points.
Are there any changes regarding the timed sections?
Yes, more than one. We have completely modified the first one, which will be before the Verteneglio refreshment point: a beautiful 2,3 kilometer climb starting from the sea. The second will be that of Portole, this one also extended to over 2 kilometers. Finally, the third, the one dedicated to the long route, will be like last year in Monterosso, but even here more challenging: almost 3 and a half kilometers of uphill. In general, all the sections have been designed to enhance the territory and to offer, for those who want it, a little more effort and competitiveness.
We know that Nova Eroica isn't limited to just one event day. Will there be any side events during that weekend?
Already We will open the village from April 30th, with music and a DJ set to create the atmosphere, in addition to the distribution of race packs. On May 1st, however, in Novigrad the traditionally a picnic by the sea, among friends or family, and therefore it will be a perfect opportunity to let participants experience this local tradition as well. We will also have an exhibition of vintage bicycles inside the Lapidarium museum in the city center, to further enrich the experience.
How are registrations going?
We are a already over 200 members and we aim for a maximum of 400Last year there were 300. We don't want the event to get too big, because Our goal is to maintain a high quality experience for each participant.. For now, about 50 percent of the members are Italian, but we have participants from many countries: the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, United States, Canada And of course, also from Croatia. In short, we're increasingly international.
We know you care deeply about sustainability. How does this translate into practice?
It's one of the fundamental values of Nova Eroica And we care deeply about this too. For example, we take advantage of existing initiatives to care for the local area and collaborate with local producers for all our refreshment points. The refreshment points also feature the recycling bins and we don't use plastic cups, but large containers of water to fill water bottles or paper cups. Last example, small but I think significant: The medals we give to each participant after arrival are made of wood, painted with natural colors.These are choices that fully reflect the spirit of the event.
Why did you choose this time of year, rather than the first edition held in September?
Because for us it is It is very important to position ourselves outside the high season, when Istria is already packed. Our goal is to contribute to the deseasonalization of tourism. Spring and autumn are ideal times to experience our territory in an authentic way., also, and I would say above all, from a cycling point of view.
Cristina, last question. In a few words, can you tell us why you should come cycling in Istria?
Istria offers an incredible variety of routes, between sea, hills and historic villagesWe have mapped many of them, of all lengths and difficulties in our Istria Bike website. It is a perfect territory for the gravel, capable of combining scenic beauty and local culture, both historical and food and wine. And then it is really just a stone's throw from ItalyNova Eroica Istria is a great way to start discovering it.
