{"id":8235,"date":"2015-05-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-18T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.btc.si\/2015\/05\/8000-cyclists-expected-at-34th-marathon-franja-btc-city\/"},"modified":"2015-05-19T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-05-18T22:00:00","slug":"8000-cyclists-expected-at-34th-marathon-franja-btc-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/razvoj.btc.si\/en\/8000-cyclists-expected-at-34th-marathon-franja-btc-city\/","title":{"rendered":"8,000 cyclists expected at 34th Marathon Franja BTC City"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Marathon will take place during 12th and
\n14th June in Ljubljana and its surroundings. Due to the time adjustment
\nbetween sports events in Slovenia, the Big and the Little Marathon will
\nstart an hour earlier as initially planned – on Sunday, 14th June at 8
\na.m. and 9.30 a.m., respectively.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year, the biggest and most traditional cycling event in Slovenia
\nwill await the competitors with five trials of different difficulty
\nlevels: Big Marathon Franja BTC City (156 km), Little Marathon Franja
\nBTC City (97 km), Hofer Family and School Marathon (25 km), Vzajemna
\nTrial for Kids (1.5 km) and Ljubljana-Dom\u017eale-Ljubljana Time Trial (22
\nkm\/44 km). The core of the entire cycling event, the cycling products
\nand services, as well as the accompanying programme will take place in
\nthe largest Slovenian shopping, business, tourist, cultural,
\nentertainment and sports centre BTC City Ljubljana.   <\/p>\n

Since we understand the importance and the magnitude of both sports
\nevents taking place on the same day (Marathon Franja BTC City and the
\nfootball match between Slovenia and England), the Big and the Little
\nMarathon Franja BTC City will start an hour earlier as expected. The
\nstart of the longest cycling trial of the event will take place at 8
\na.m. instead of 9 a.m., with the competitors of the Little Marathon
\nFranja BTC City racing at 9.30 a.m. instead of 10.30 a.m., as planned at
\nfirst. The time delay of races on Sunday will contribute to better
\nsafety of the cyclists in the final stages of the route and to a more
\nsuccessful organisation of both sports events.<\/p>\n

We wish to thank over 1,800 organisers and the accompanying staff for
\ntheir contribution to making the Slovenian cycling festival possible,
\nespecially after bringing together 7,750 participants last year. Along
\nwith them, a successful organisation would not be possible without all
\nthe sponsors. The event relies on great support from the partners so
\nfar, and this year there are new supporters joining them; Hofer and
\nVzajemna as major supporters of the Family and School Marathon and the
\nTrial for Kids, with Eles and Merkur right by their side. All the
\ncompetitors will surely be surprised by the gifts Hofer, Jogobella,
\nVzajemna and Leone have in store for them.<\/p>\n

At the presentation of the 34th Marathon Franja BTC City, Gorazd
\nPenko, the Marathon Director, emphasized the importance of the event for
\nthe development of Slovenian cycling: “Knowing how to and being able to
\norganise a world scale event is what we have already proven and wish to
\ndo again. In these past years the Marathon Franja BTC City has
\nsurpassed Slovenian borders and has become known to the world as one of
\nthe most prominent recreational cycling events. It has exceeded every
\nexpectation and has become a cycling, an entertainment and a
\nbusiness-opportunity platform. For the competitors it is a great
\nopportunity to put their abilities to the test, for the visitors it may
\nbe an inspiration to pick up cycling, and for the current and future
\npartners it just as well may be what proves that cycling is worth
\ninvesting in.”<\/p>\n

Jo\u017ee Mermal, President of the BTC Management Board, at the event
\nexplained the magnitude of the support that cycling has been given: “The
\nBTC Company has recognised the opportunity to be an active part in
\ndeveloping cycling in Slovenia in the scope of socially responsible
\nactivities. We are extremely proud that by supporting the Marathon
\nFranja BTC City we can contribute to the high level of organisation and
\nthereby raise cycling awareness of Slovenian cyclists. With all our
\nactivities in promoting cycling we have contributed to the fact that
\npeople are massively taking part in cycling events, whether as
\ncompetitors or as fans, that they are cycling in their free time, and
\nthat they are using their bikes to get around. Moreover, cycling is no
\nlonger in the domain of men, but has become a popular women’s sports
\ndiscipline. With the help of the BTC City Ljubljana team our endeavours
\nhave reached world cycling elites.”<\/p>\n

Not only is Slovenia becoming a synonym for a cycling country; with
\nevents like the Marathon Franja BTC City and constant investments in the
\ncycling infrastructure, Ljubljana is also becoming a cycling capital”,
\nsaid Marko Kolenc, the Head of the Sports Department at the City
\nMunicipality of Ljubljana, and added: “Our endeavours, following the
\nprinciples of sustainable development of a city, enable the visitors of
\nthe capital to go about their chores by bike, and take part or compete
\nin sports events. Ljubljana belongs to all the visitors, not only to
\nthose driving cars, but to cyclists and pedestrians as well. It was,
\nafter all, this kind of thinking that won us the prestigious European
\nGreen Capital 2016 Award.”<\/p>\n

Toni Dragar, Mayor of the Municipality of Dom\u017eale, also shared his
\nthoughts on the Time trial Ljubljana-Dom\u017eale-Ljubljana: “I am happy that
\nthe Municipality of Dom\u017eale can be an active part in writing such a
\ngreat cycling story like the Marathon Franja BTC City. The organisation
\nof a time trial race is a responsible task and we are excited to take it
\non. Our co-operation proves that sportsmanship knows no boundaries and
\nthat is what brings Dom\u017eale and Ljubljana even closer.”<\/p>\n

A rapid development of cycling in Slovenia in the last few years as
\nwell as the successful organisation of the Marathon Franja BTC City has
\nraised the attention of the UCI. After last year’s successful
\norganisation of ARWC in August, the Cycling club KD Rog, the BTC
\nCompany, the City Municipality of Ljubljana and the Slovenian Cycling
\nFederation will this year be responsible for the organisation of the
\nsecond peak on the highest cycling level – the Giro Rosa race, the most
\nelite trial in women’s UCI calendar that will this year start outside of
\nItaly for the first time ever. The prologue will take place on 3rd July
\nin the centre of the capital, with the 102.5 km long first stage
\nfollowing on the next day in the reverse direction of the Little
\nMarathon Franja route, starting in Kamnik and finishing in BTC City
\nLjubljana. The introductory trials in Slovenia will be followed by 8
\nstages in Italy, with the finish on 12th July in San Domenico di Varzo.
\nOrganising Giro Rosa is a step further in the development of Slovenian
\ncycling as well, since it represents the foundation for forming
\norganisational standards for future important sports events in Slovenia.<\/p>\n

Upholding the bright future of the Marathon Franja BTC City is also
\nthe recent signing of a four-year contract between the organiser of the
\nevent, Cycling club KD Rog, and the BTC Company which has been the
\ngeneral sponsor of the marathon since 2003. The result of a successful
\nco-operation between the two and the City Municipality of Ljubljana can
\nbe seen in last year’s foundation of the first professional women’s
\ncycling team BTC City Ljubljana, which will, in accordance with the
\ncontract, receive full support of the BTC Company during the future four
\nyears. The members of the team have called attention to themselves with
\ngreat results already in their first season, followed by outstanding
\nperformances this year, thereby winning organisers’ invitations to the
\nbiggest and most prestigious races in the world. Among others, they will
\ncompete in the three most important cycling events in the world: in the
\nelite Giro Rosa race with the prologue and the first stage in Ljubljana
\nin July, on the final day of the Tour de France race in La Course by Le
\nTour de France in July, and in the third most important race in the
\nworld, the Spanish Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta in September.<\/p>\n

In addition to women cyclists, there are also the protégés of Marko
\nPolanc, the director and trainer of men’s continental team Radenska
\nKuota, who are achieving notable results on the professional cycling
\nstage. The Cycling club KD Rog is very actively involved in raising
\nyoung cyclists of both genders who are constantly achieving top results.
\nComing from the same club is also Jan Polanc who recently won the 5th
\nstage of this year’s Giro d’Italia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additional information: <\/strong><\/p>\n

BTC, Maja Oven, Director of Market Communications and Public Relations Sector <\/p>\n