When it was announced in October that our 2025 club sportive would be held in cycling mecca Slovenia, excitement ran high. That joy was briefly disrupted when the UCI rescheduled the Tour of Slovenia, bumping the Maraton Franja back a week—from June 8 to June 15—and splitting our Dynamo crew into two waves.
The first group of 12 arrived in early June, and although they missed the official sportive, they more than made up for it with a week of spectacular rides curated by our own Slovenian insider, Miha Torkar. Highlights included tackling the tough Alpe Gran Fondo route, climbing into Austria and enjoying the stunning Logar Valley (and a well-earned cake stop due to Miha’s mechanical hiccup). Sunshine and smooth tarmac made for perfect cycling conditions, especially around Lake Bled.
The second and larger group—nearly 50 Dynamos—landed in time for the Maraton Franja. With more numbers came more ride options, and a mix of competitive racers and casual riders found their groove. Sportive day arrived hot—31°C—with many tackling either the 156km Gran Fondo or the 96km Medio Fondo. A handful even snuck into the UCI elite pens alongside members of Pogacar’s Pogiteam Gusto Ljubljana. A fast-paced race followed, with some drama and a tricky gravel section late on—but thankfully nothing too serious.
In total, about 1,700 completed the Medio Fondo and 1,100 the Gran Fondo. Dynamo riders delivered a strong performance with 40 finishers and an unexpected 2nd place in the team competition. Special congratulations to our UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifiers (full list below), and a massive thank you to our Sportive Committee—especially Frederic Jeanperrin and Miha Torkar—for the planning and support. Sadly, Miha’s own ride ended with a snapped chain, but as we know, that’s bike racing.
UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Qualifiers
Gran Fondo
- Ray Wilson (3rd in Cat C)
- Michael O’Keefe (2nd in F)
- Jeremy Boardman (2nd in G)
- Robert Maslen (2nd in J)
- Dan Brocklebank (E)
- Guy Thomas (F)
- Chris Freeman (F)
- Mark Ellis (F)
Medio Fondo
- David Stroud (G)
- Gerard O’Connell (G)
- Graham Andrade (G)
- Andy Taylor (G)
- Mark Jenvey (G)
