This Saturday, Umag hosts the Istria Gran Fondo, one of the most established events on the UCI Gran Fondo World Series calendar. Set on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, the Croatian qualifier continues its strong growth with a record 1324 registered participants from 35 countries, confirming its appeal far beyond the region.
Of the total field, 879 riders will do the Gran Fondo, while 445 competitors have opted for the Medio Fondo.
A fast coastal start before decisive inland climbing
Start and finish are located in Stella Maris Resort in Umag, just steps from the coastline. Both races begin with a fast and flat opening section along the Adriatic, where peloton positioning and speed are essential. The first 30 kilometres are largely flat.
The character of the event changes dramatically once the routes head into central Istria, where a series of rolling roads and sustained climbs begin to shape the race. The signature challenge of the day is the Oprtalj climb: a 6 km ascent averaging nearly 8%, with sections exceeding 12%, leading riders to the highest point of the course. Its steep start and winding switchbacks make it the decisive moment of the race.
Two distances, one decisive climb
The Gran Fondo course, the official qualifier distance for men aged 19–59 and women 19–49, covers 105 km with approximately 1700 metres of elevation gain. Riders face the Oprtalj climb twice.
The Medio Fondo follows the same route initially but bypasses the second loop, resulting in a distance of around 80km with roughly 1250 metres of climbing. It serves as the qualification race for men aged 60+ and women aged 50.
Beyond the racing, Istria Gran Fondo continues to strengthen its reputation as a cornerstone event for the region as one of Europe’s leading cycling tourism destinations, recently recognised as Best Cycling Tourism Region 2025.
