Velika planina race (Classic Uphill)

Start: 8:00 – Stahovica (460 m a.s.l.)
Finish: Gradišče (1660 m a.s.l.)
Distance: 8.9 km
Ascent: 1280 m Descent: 80 m

The Open Race – Velika Planina Uphill will start at 8:00 from Vegrad, with all participants following the marked course to the finish at Gradišče. Refreshment and medical stations will be provided along the route.

Later in the morning, at 10:00, the same course will host the European Athletics Off-Road Running Championships for elite runners, while junior athletes will compete on a shorter, separate course.

The first three kilometres of the route, up to Primož, run mainly along a macadam road. From there, the course continues on a mountain trail all the way to the finish at the highest point of Velika Planina – Gradišče (1,660 m). The most demanding and steepest section is in the middle part of the course, followed by a short descent towards the Kisovec pasture.

The first seven kilometres are shaded by forest, while the final section opens up across the scenic alpine meadows of Velika Planina.

The course closely follows the route used for the 2010 World Championships, the 2017 European Championships, and the 2025 World Cup.