A Different kind of Mid-season Training Camp

I entered my first mountain bike race at five years old, and now, at 23, my passion for the sport continues to grow. I've always found mountain biking to come naturally to me, and for most of my career, things have gone smoothly. But this spring, for the first time, I hit a low point. It felt especially tough because I'd always been on a high and I had just come off my best season yet by winning the overall in both XCO and XCC in 2023. I was mentally overloaded and fatigued, and everything seemed to pile up. I couldn’t start my season as planned and had to prioritize recovery.

By June, I managed to kick off my World Cup season, with help from my team. Despite my limited preparation, the three World Cups I raced went well, considering the circumstances. However, I quickly realized my mind needed more recovery to reach my long-term goals of being a top athlete in the years to come. So, I decided to take another break from racing and focus on mental recovery, along with some endurance training I’d missed earlier in the spring.

After discussing with my team manager, Liz Walker, I decided to skip the Swiss Championship and World Champs, aiming to be fully race-ready in 11 weeks for the last two rounds of the World Cup. With this new timeline, I had enough time to recharge and get back on track. Given the unusual situation, I figured why not try an equally unconventional preparation for my final big goal of the season? That’s when I decided to embark on an adventure I’d been dreaming of for a long time, but wouldn’t normally fit into my season—a bike-packing trip!

For this trip, I rode my new Devote, which had luckily arrived two weeks before our departure. Alina rode her trusty Colnago road bike—an old-timer, but it held up for the entire tour. We each carried two large bags on rear racks. One of my bags held all my clothes, while the other carried our travel kitchen and food, with our tent strapped on top. I also attached two 4.1L bags to my fork, one for spare tubes and repair kits, and the other for valuables like money and documents. Alina’s bags carried her clothes and our sleeping gear—sleeping bags, mats, and the “holy shit kit” (toilet paper, a small shovel, and a lighter). On her handlebars, she had a 3L water bag to ensure we stayed hydrated in the wild. Plus a small solar panel attached to her rear rack to power our devices.

We started on July 17th, taking the train to Zernez in eastern Switzerland. From there, we cycled, and I had the idea to visit my team physio, Ajda, in Slovenia on the way. Ajda always talked about how beautiful Slovenia is, and she wasn’t wrong. It was stunning, and I’ll definitely return with my mountain bike someday.

We cycled for five days from Switzerland through Italy and Austria, covering about 100 km each day before reaching northern Slovenia. The weather was mostly sunny and warm, though we did have a couple of thunderstorms. Luckily, our tent held up, and the warm day lunch breaks dried it out quickly. We camped in fields with permission from locals, and twice, we went completely off the grid, setting up camp in the wilderness. Arriving at Ajda’s home felt like a mini-team camp, especially with Rae Morrison, our Liv team’s new technique guru, also visiting. Ajda was an amazing host, and we even got to explore “Uršlja Gora,” a local hill, with another friend, Urška.

After a short but memorable stay, we continued south, riding from Slovenia to Croatia in just one day. Cycling through Zagreb and heading south, the landscape changed, that was cool to watch while moving on with muscle power. We camped next to rivers or water sources where we could wash and cool off, and each day we hand-washed our cycling kits to stay fresh. The temperatures were rising, with most days around 30°C, and then it got even hotter.

We reached the sea in Karlobag and had one more day of riding to Pakoštane. Knowing it would be extremely hot that day, we started at 8:00 a.m., but it was already sweltering. By mid-morning, my Garmin showed 43°C, and the heat was unbearable. The final stretch took us inland, away from the sea, where there was no shade and only a long, straight road ahead. We took a break under a small bush, surrounded by dead turtles, and realized we needed to turn back for safety. The 5 km ride back to the sea was grueling, but once we found a cool spot, we stayed there until the evening time. That was one of the craziest days I’ve ever had on a bike - the heat was terrifying!

We rode the last 40 km to Pakoštane by night, with the temperature finally down to 29°C, and we were thrilled to arrive at Karmen’s place.

Wow—what an adventure! Along the way, we met so many kind strangers and locals who generously offered us water, often communicating through gestures since we didn’t speak the language. I returned home with stronger legs, renewed mental energy, and a sense of deep satisfaction. Sleeping outside every night gave me a peaceful sense of calm that I’m already missing.

The exact route is listed on my Strava, there you can also find some raw small videos to have an insight into our daily life on tour.