Ivanec is quiet, but never asleep. It knows fun, it knows movement, but it also knows how to slow down. It knows how to connect people with nature, children with the mountain, entrepreneurs with silence.
Destination
Ivanec, a town in the embrace of Ivančica. Or Ivanščica, whichever you prefer, because both are correct.
The mountain that protects it, inspires it, and gives it its name.
Here, natural idyll blends perfectly with the entrepreneurial spirit of the community, and the abundance of myths and legends adds that touch of mystery that makes you want to know just a little bit more.
There’s no sea here, but there’s zen.
Instead of waves – the sound of forests, hills, and mountains. Instead of palm trees – an old castle, museums, and wildflower meadows scented with the simplicity of life.
Ivanec and its surroundings feel like the pages of a schoolbook you skipped long ago, but would gladly read now. An invisible border between town and countryside, away from the loudness of the world, yet filled with a gentle hum: lawnmowers, tractors, circular saws, barking dogs, and meowing cats – all those sounds that are just… pleasant.
Sounds and scents that irresistibly bring back carefree summers at grandma’s house.
Ivanec is a place of movement – outdoor lovers don’t sit still here. Trails and paths are everywhere, and they lead everywhere; into the forest, between houses, up hills dotted with vineyard huts, past neat gardens, and up to viewpoints that no camera frame can contain.
Ivanec is quiet, but never asleep. It knows fun, it knows movement – but also how to slow down. It knows how to connect people and nature, children and mountains, entrepreneurs and silence.
Out of all our destinations, we spent the most time here, just to gather and blend everything we’re talking about into one Epic Rides story.
And on top of that, it’s close to Zagreb, Varaždin, Slovenia, and not far from Istria, Kvarner, and Slavonia.
Welcome to Epic Rides Ivanec.
Route
Hills, fields, forests, meadows. A little church on the hill, a castle in the grove, a manor on the clearing. Dogs and cats roaming the yards, cows freely grazing on the pastures, and hardworking locals seemingly competing over who has the most beautiful garden.
For the Epic Rides Ivanec route, we could say it’s one of the most “cyclist-friendly” routes of all the Epic Rides so far.
Roads and lanes, paths and trails, gravel and forest tracks – it feels as if they were made exactly for cycling.
The climbs up the hills are short but very steep, and riding along the slopes takes you past plenty of small cottages (“klijeti”), which are part of the lifestyle in this part of Croatia. Once the route crosses the main road and railway, the landscape changes, and the hills turn into long rolling slopes where tractors hum and flocks of birds take off from nearby forests and groves. On this route, gravel lovers will be delighted, as the gravel roads are smooth and “ironed out,” while the asphalt sections mostly follow narrow and winding lanes with little to almost no traffic. All the ingredients for an exclusive cycling experience of Ivanec are here.
Welcome to yet another Epic Rides. Welcome to Ivanec.
NOTE: The Epic Rides route is carefully designed, always taking into account that it never exceeds 50 km and 1,000 m of elevation gain (combined). Also, the route has no technically demanding sections, and if some cannot be avoided due to terrain configuration, they are short, can be walked, and are additionally marked along the route.
Meeting point: Ivanečki park, IVANEC
Start time: 10:30
*The organizer reserves the right to change the event program and schedule.
For the Epic Rides Ivanec route, we could say it’s one of the most “cyclist-friendly” routes of all the Epic Rides so far.
Roads and lanes, paths and trails, gravel and forest tracks – it feels as if they were made exactly for cycling.
The climbs up the hills are short but very steep, and riding along the slopes takes you past plenty of small cottages (“klijeti”), which are part of the lifestyle in this part of Croatia. Once the route crosses the main road and railway, the landscape changes, and the hills turn into long rolling slopes where tractors hum and flocks of birds take off from nearby forests and groves. On this route, gravel lovers will be delighted, as the gravel roads are smooth and “ironed out,” while the asphalt sections mostly follow narrow and winding lanes with little to almost no traffic. All the ingredients for an exclusive cycling experience of Ivanec are here.
Welcome to yet another Epic Rides. Welcome to Ivanec.
NOTE: The Epic Rides route is carefully designed, always taking into account that it never exceeds 50 km and 1,000 m of elevation gain (combined). Also, the route has no technically demanding sections, and if some cannot be avoided due to terrain configuration, they are short, can be walked, and are additionally marked along the route.
Meeting point: Ivanečki park, IVANEC
Start time: 10:30
*The organizer reserves the right to change the event program and schedule.
EPIC RIDES
Distance: 52.9 km
Ascent: 830 m
Offroad: 32 %
SHORT
Distance: 39.8 km
Ascent: 660 m
Offroad: 24 %
Event info
Gdje se nalazi START?
The start location is Ivanečki Park – IVANEC. Start location on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RAy92PrDu7rVUTEm9
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