The Seven Serpents is a bikepacking race through parts of Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy. In 2025 the event saw its ninth installment for which about 130 riders signed up to compete solo or in pairs over 850 km of demanding terrain from Ljubljana to Trieste, climbing some 16'000 meters of altitude as they ride.

The route has a reputation for being tough but rewarding: the predefined itinerary incorporates many POIs such as castles and monasteries, idyllic towns, karst landscapes and remote viewpoints. The path to these gems must be conquered, however. Coarse gravel and a few steep hike-a-bike sections await the riders, as well as several climbs to well over a thousand meters of altitude. After reading some accounts of past editions I changed my tires to something bigger with more traction, to be prepared.

The weather forecast has been mixed so far. The forecasting models agree on one thing only, namely that there will be rain; how much of it will come down and when, that the weather gods left as a surprise to us.

Table of Contents

1. 2025-05-24 Seven Serpents race journal pt. 2: Cres to Trieste
2. 2025-05-23 Seven Serpents race journal pt. 1: Ljubljana to Cres
3. 2025-05-17 Prelude: Ljubljana

gallery