How did it grow to what it is today?

The successful bid is an example of good cooperation between the two entities from Croatia and Slovenia. We have organised races in Trbovlje (Slovenia) since 1999 so we already have a lot of experience.

We like the place, we like to work on trails and there is similar adrenaline rush organising and managing a race as it is in racing bikes itself!

Moreover, local tourism authorities want to create a promotional platform for year-round tourism. There are more than 250 km of walking and cycling trails and the aim is to develop the network of purpose built trails for mountain biking.

We feel mountain biking is the perfect way to explore the unspoilt beauty of the island and discover magnificent views of the island archipelago.

Lošinj island wants to establish itself as a elite, year-round tourist destination for active holidays. The organisation of the spectacle of the World Cup means a breakthrough on the world stage and therefore broader visibility of not only Island of Lošinj, but also the Kvarner area and Croatia.

When did you first think about hosting a World Cup?

Sincerely, the idea’s been there since the start, we just didn’t think out loud! We think you need to be brave and do your best no matter what you do – race bikes or organise races.

When we saw that we have the local community support (Mr. Gari Cappelli) and the support from Lošinj Hotels Group (Mr. Goran Filipović) and Lošinj tourism board, that they believed in what we were doing, we decided to bid for a World Cup race.

AK Lošinj is also a great partner, we organised the C1 races together. The island itself is great place to visit and the finish area is right on the seafront, among the boats in this little medieval town. There is no other race like this one in the world.

We thought it might bring some freshness into the World Cup downhill series, it is completely different from the alpine villages or places World Cup goes to year after year.

It also helped that we had positive feedback from some fast riders like 2016 IXS cup and EU champ Slawomir Lukasik, 2015 European champion Jure Žabjek, and others. The terrain is demanding even if it’s not the longest track. We saw that we can make it challenging even for the best in the world.

We think the beautiful and somewhat unusual venue helped a lot as it will bring the diversity to UCI downhill World Cup. We also did our “homework” with our bidding offer which was obviously appropriate for the UCI.

How will the track change for the World Cup?

We will be making several changes to the track already for this year’s UCI C1 race. In general, we will try to leave the track as natural and raw as possible. There will be a new starting hut and ramps, new jumps added on the top and new entrance to the main rough section. There will also be new jump in the woods and finally a different street section with more turns.

What do you think World Cup riders will make of the course?

Hopefully they will enjoy it! The onboard videos might not really show how rough it is.

We also think the racing will be good for TV as the track is short and fast and that means close racing! The cameras should provide full coverage of the track from start to finish.

What else can we expect over the weekend? Any big plans?

We just want the racers and spectators to enjoy the seaside, eat good Mediterraean food and have fun along the way! The island is blessed with a good climate and stunning natural scenery so make the most out of your visit! In collaboration with our sponsor Lošinj Hotels and Villas , we are planning special, promotional price for accommodation for all bike fans!