{"id":46824,"date":"2021-07-20T13:48:01","date_gmt":"2021-07-20T11:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uniordownhillcup.com\/?p=46824\/"},"modified":"2021-07-20T16:37:56","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T14:37:56","slug":"dh-sorica-opens-season-crowns-new-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slodhcup.pumptrack.si\/en\/2021\/dh-sorica-opens-season-crowns-new-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"DH Sorica to open season, crown new champions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

And here it goes! This year’s Unior Downhill Cup starts at Sori\u0161ka planina with Downhill Sorica this Sunday. Right at the beginning of the season we will also give out the titles of Downhill National Champions.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Sori\u0161ka planina ski resort<\/strong> already hosted national series races fibe times (2014-2017 and 2019) and this is the first time that national champions will also be crowned here. Between 1300 and 1550 meters above sea level we will not be feeling much of the summer heat but we might still sweat because of some intense racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides this being the first clash of the season for Slovenian downhillers it will not be just any national championships. This will be the 30th downhill national champs race<\/strong> since the first one was held in 1992.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The injured \u017dak Gomil\u0161\u010dek<\/strong> (Unior – Sinter) will not be defending his men’s elite title, nor will the Sorica local Rudi Pintar<\/strong> be defending his 2019 win here because he retired from racing. The slightly injured Jure \u017dabjek<\/strong> (Unior – Sinter) will be going for his fifth elite title. That would make him the most successful of all time and pass Janez Gra\u0161i\u010d and Miran Vauh, each with four titles. The 2016 and 2017 Sorica winner Luka Berginc<\/strong> (KK \u010crn trn) may be his most serious opponent. \u017dabjek only won Sorica in 2015. Ale\u0161 Virti\u010d<\/strong> won the first edition in 2014 but he is already out of contention this year for an injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monika Hrastnik<\/strong> (Dorval AM Commencal) will also be chasing her fifth title. She would catch up with Zarja \u010cernilogar but would still be one short of the collection of Rebeka Barli\u010d. Monika, the current UCI number 4, will hardly let any opponent take the title away from her, even if number 24 \u0160pela Horvat<\/strong> (Supersnurf) will be there to do her best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year’s top junior men headed by \u017dan Pir\u0161<\/strong> and Marko Niemiz<\/strong> (both Bikehanic – 20 Chocolate) moved to elite ranks where there may have a shot for podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The track<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The track is same as in previous years. It is 1650 m long with an elevation drop of 280 m. It took 2019 winner 2 minutes and 41 seconds from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uplift is provided by Lajnar chairlift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The schedule will be the same for all four events of the series. All will be single day (Sunday) races and this is the schedule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n