Велика стаза

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Start easy and control your HR up to 16.6km.
• Hold your race pace up to 25.6km, but stay in control.
• Final 545m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 25.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–16.6km · Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 16.6km–25.6km · Descent of 454m averaging 13%, high point 961m. Plus 2 more climbs. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 25.6km–33.9km · Descent of 545m averaging 7%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 1700m+. With 51m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 39% of the distance is uphill, 38% downhill and 23% flat. The longest climb runs 5.2km at an average 9.2% grade (480m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.3km at an average 6.6% grade (545m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 24.9% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 24.2% over 0.6km. Surface: 43% road, 36% trail, and 19% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 48.0 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Ovčar (985m), 21.3km from the start.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 22 of 100), with 25% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 25.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 21.1–24.5 km · 454 m D−, -13.3% · 9.4 km ahead → your pace
• 25.6–33.9 km · 545 m D−, -6.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 7°C to 22°C, with around 16°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 29%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 6% of days around this date.

Results

87 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Борис Чинчурак (Serbia) in 2:59:22. Women's winner: Викторија Келер (Serbia) in 4:14:54.