Race Report: SloEnduro Round 5 in Dobrna
Words: SloEnduro
Finally a dry race at Dobrna in Eastern Slovenia. We will remember round five of 2023 for long transfers and climbs and tight racing for the win.
![Long climbs lead to nice views at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Start of summer holidays and some top riders taking part in World Cup race in Italy shortened the start list a bit for round five. But in a way that made the racing two weeks after the National Championships in Trbovlje only more intense.
![Ravens krokar all over the place at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Remains of Tour of Slovenia Fight For Green at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Long climbs at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Hot weather and 1400 vertical meters of climbing on the long course put the endurance into enduro at the eight edition of Krokar (Raven) race organized by the namesake club from Dobrna. After Saturday's training lap some transfer times were extended but there was still no time for easy spinning to the start on race day.
![The loamy Sedance trail SS2 and Spar Online SuperStage at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Four stages, four winners
With top four men from the series ranking missing (Miha Smrdel, David Ivartnik, Miha Jerkič and Vid Peršak plus Jan Markič raced in Val di Fassa World Cup) the fight for the win in men's long course race was wide open.
![Nejc Huth 2nd placed man at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Tim Je third placed man at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Tim Kra ovec 4th placed man at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Jan Polov ak fastest junior and 5th overall at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
The experienced Nejc Huth (Energijateam.com) won first special stage Terme and stayed in the lead until the last stage of the day. Even if Jernej Kavčič (MBK Črni Vrh) won SS2, the Spar Online SuperStage and Tim Krašovec (Wolf Racing Team) was the fastest on SS3 on Japka trail. Then Tim Jež (Kamplc Racing Team) won SS4 on Ledena trail and moved from 5th to 3rd overall. Huth finished the final stage 6 seconds down in 5th place, two placed and less than 4 seconds behind Kavčič, but it was enough for Kavčič to move into first by 1.96 second and win his first SloEnduro race in his first elite year!
Krašovec finished in fourth and the fastest junior of the day Jan Polovšak (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) in fifth place.
![Jernej Kav i fastest man at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Miha Smrdel defended his series lead in absence. Huth moved from 5th to 2nd and is now only 60 points behind Smrdel. Krokar winner Jernej Kavčič is now third.
Tina loses her follower early on
Tina Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) won all four special stages including the Spar Online SuperStage and won by quite a margin over second placed teammate Maja Vojska and third placed Damjana Munih Kacafura (Pedal Racing Team). An all Primorska region podium which would also be in case of a different outcome. Namely the National Championships silver medallist Maša Komel (KK Črn trn) took off well and finished SS1 less than 3 seconds behind Tina. But then she damaged her bike in a crash on SS2 and dropped out of the race.
![Tina Smrdel fastest woman and series leader at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Tina Smrdel increased her series lead, Vojska is in second and Tamara Homar (ŠKD Super potencial) in third place.
In long course categories
So Jan Polovšak won men's junior (U19) category, this is his first junior win in his second season in this category. Maj Babačič (Calcit Bike Team) finished second and Maks Oblak (ŠD Supersnurf) third. Babačič is still the series leader with Polovšak close second just 10 points behind, Jerkič is third.
![Nejc ikman proving you can win the amateur category with a lowsider at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Walter Zeidler fastest master rider at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
In amateur men Nejc Šikman (ŠD Grabit) in 10th overall beat the serial winner Žiga Šemrov (ŠKD Super potencial) by 6 seconds. Austrian Walter Zeidler (Do-Biker Bruck) of master 1 category was the fastest master rider, Hungarian Balázs Ziskó (FRO Racing) won in master 2 and Slovenian Martin Brus (Kamplc Racing Team) in master 3.
Iztok Slapnik (Golovec trails) won the five stage e-bike category race.
![Top five men on the long course of 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. L to R Tim Kra ovec Nejc Huth Jernej Kav i Tim Je and Jan Polov ak. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
![Top three women ofat2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna Slovenia. L to R Maja Vojska Tina Smrdel and Damjana Munih Kacafura. Photo by Matej Lovri .]()
Short course
More exciting racing in young categories in the three stages race. Anže Kofjač (KK Završnica) won his second race this year in the U17 male category where there are no less than 68 riders on the ranking list. Nežka Libnik (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) remains undefeated in female U17 category.
Jakob Praček (Kamplc Racing Team) took his fourth win of the season (including the National Championships) in the competitive under 15 boys where there are 7 riders swapping podium places.
Raven's view of SS2
Coming up next...
There are only two rounds left until the end of the season plus one very popular promotional event. We'll see you again after the summer break, on September 2 – 3 at SloEnduro Gorjanci in Novo mesto, Slovenia. See calendar at sloenduro.com
Finally a dry race at Dobrna in Eastern Slovenia. We will remember round five of 2023 for long transfers and climbs and tight racing for the win.
Long climbs lead to nice views
Start of summer holidays and some top riders taking part in World Cup race in Italy shortened the start list a bit for round five. But in a way that made the racing two weeks after the National Championships in Trbovlje only more intense.
Ravens (krokar) all over the place
Remains of Tour of Slovenia "Fight For Green"
Long climbs in hot weather
Hot weather and 1400 vertical meters of climbing on the long course put the endurance into enduro at the eight edition of Krokar (Raven) race organized by the namesake club from Dobrna. After Saturday's training lap some transfer times were extended but there was still no time for easy spinning to the start on race day.
The loamy Sedance trail, SS2 and Spar Online SuperStage
Four stages, four winners
With top four men from the series ranking missing (Miha Smrdel, David Ivartnik, Miha Jerkič and Vid Peršak plus Jan Markič raced in Val di Fassa World Cup) the fight for the win in men's long course race was wide open.
Nejc Huth
Tim Jež
Tim Krašovec
Jan Polovšak
The experienced Nejc Huth (Energijateam.com) won first special stage Terme and stayed in the lead until the last stage of the day. Even if Jernej Kavčič (MBK Črni Vrh) won SS2, the Spar Online SuperStage and Tim Krašovec (Wolf Racing Team) was the fastest on SS3 on Japka trail. Then Tim Jež (Kamplc Racing Team) won SS4 on Ledena trail and moved from 5th to 3rd overall. Huth finished the final stage 6 seconds down in 5th place, two placed and less than 4 seconds behind Kavčič, but it was enough for Kavčič to move into first by 1.96 second and win his first SloEnduro race in his first elite year!
Krašovec finished in fourth and the fastest junior of the day Jan Polovšak (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) in fifth place.
Jernej Kavčič, fastest man at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar
 | I felt good, the trails suited me well and here's a great result for me. The terrain is similar to what we ride at home in Idrija so I connected with the course and kept clocking in good times. This felt so good I will need to try my luck some international races. |
Miha Smrdel defended his series lead in absence. Huth moved from 5th to 2nd and is now only 60 points behind Smrdel. Krokar winner Jernej Kavčič is now third.
Tina loses her follower early on
Tina Smrdel (MBK Črni Vrh) won all four special stages including the Spar Online SuperStage and won by quite a margin over second placed teammate Maja Vojska and third placed Damjana Munih Kacafura (Pedal Racing Team). An all Primorska region podium which would also be in case of a different outcome. Namely the National Championships silver medallist Maša Komel (KK Črn trn) took off well and finished SS1 less than 3 seconds behind Tina. But then she damaged her bike in a crash on SS2 and dropped out of the race.
Tina Smrdel, fastest woman and series leader at 2023 SloEnduro Krokar at Dobrna, Slovenia. Photo by Matej Lovrič.
| Much nicer than last year here at Dobrna, we were lucky with the weather this time, the trails were great, the grip as well. Maša was close on the first stage, too bad she wasn't able to continue after her crash in second stage. |
Tina Smrdel increased her series lead, Vojska is in second and Tamara Homar (ŠKD Super potencial) in third place.
In long course categories
So Jan Polovšak won men's junior (U19) category, this is his first junior win in his second season in this category. Maj Babačič (Calcit Bike Team) finished second and Maks Oblak (ŠD Supersnurf) third. Babačič is still the series leader with Polovšak close second just 10 points behind, Jerkič is third.
Nejc Šikman's formula for speed?
Walter Zeidler, fastest master
In amateur men Nejc Šikman (ŠD Grabit) in 10th overall beat the serial winner Žiga Šemrov (ŠKD Super potencial) by 6 seconds. Austrian Walter Zeidler (Do-Biker Bruck) of master 1 category was the fastest master rider, Hungarian Balázs Ziskó (FRO Racing) won in master 2 and Slovenian Martin Brus (Kamplc Racing Team) in master 3.
Iztok Slapnik (Golovec trails) won the five stage e-bike category race.
Results
Men
1st. Jernej KAVČIČ (MBK Črni Vrh) — 13:40.71
2nd. Nejc HUTH (Energijateam.com) — +1.96
3rd. Tim Jež (Kamplc Racing Team) — +6.19
4th. Tim Krašovec (Wolf Racing Team) — +6.74
5th. Jan Polovšak (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) — +34.89
1st. Jernej KAVČIČ (MBK Črni Vrh) — 13:40.71
2nd. Nejc HUTH (Energijateam.com) — +1.96
3rd. Tim Jež (Kamplc Racing Team) — +6.19
4th. Tim Krašovec (Wolf Racing Team) — +6.74
5th. Jan Polovšak (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) — +34.89
Women
1st. Tina SMRDEL (MBK Črni Vrh) — 16:39.38
2nd. Maja VOJSKA (MBK Črni Vrh) — +2:45.32
3rd. Damjana MUNIH KACAFURA (Pedal Racing Team) — +5:44.25
4th. Kaja BERGINC (Rajd Ljubljana) — +5:48.89
1st. Tina SMRDEL (MBK Črni Vrh) — 16:39.38
2nd. Maja VOJSKA (MBK Črni Vrh) — +2:45.32
3rd. Damjana MUNIH KACAFURA (Pedal Racing Team) — +5:44.25
4th. Kaja BERGINC (Rajd Ljubljana) — +5:48.89
Top five men
Top three women
Series standings 5/7
Men
1st. Miha SMRDEL (MBK Črni Vrh) — 1050 points
2nd. HUTH — 990
3rd. KAVČIČ — 890
4th. David IVARTNIK (Golovec trails) — 860
5th. Miha JERKIČ (KK Črn trn) — 810
1st. Miha SMRDEL (MBK Črni Vrh) — 1050 points
2nd. HUTH — 990
3rd. KAVČIČ — 890
4th. David IVARTNIK (Golovec trails) — 860
5th. Miha JERKIČ (KK Črn trn) — 810
Women
1st. SMRDEL — 1800 points
2nd. VOJSKA 1040 — 1:33:27
3rd. Tamara HOMAR (Super potencial) — 830
4th. Simona KUCHYŇKOVÁ (SVK, oko everywhere) — 800
5th. BERGINC — 760
1st. SMRDEL — 1800 points
2nd. VOJSKA 1040 — 1:33:27
3rd. Tamara HOMAR (Super potencial) — 830
4th. Simona KUCHYŇKOVÁ (SVK, oko everywhere) — 800
5th. BERGINC — 760
Short course
More exciting racing in young categories in the three stages race. Anže Kofjač (KK Završnica) won his second race this year in the U17 male category where there are no less than 68 riders on the ranking list. Nežka Libnik (Bosch Black Hole Enduro Team) remains undefeated in female U17 category.
Jakob Praček (Kamplc Racing Team) took his fourth win of the season (including the National Championships) in the competitive under 15 boys where there are 7 riders swapping podium places.
Raven's view of SS2
Coming up next...
There are only two rounds left until the end of the season plus one very popular promotional event. We'll see you again after the summer break, on September 2 – 3 at SloEnduro Gorjanci in Novo mesto, Slovenia. See calendar at sloenduro.com
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2 Comments
- 2 0
bemix
(Jun 28, 2023 at 6:48)
Bravo punce in fantje!! What are they referring to with that *fight for green*? 
- 1 0
SloEnduroSeries
(Jun 29, 2023 at 5:16)
Tour of Slovenia road stage race slogan, that bike was painted for the occassion, TdS passed here lately.
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