Istria's town signs are mostly bilingual. Almost everyone here speaks reasonable Italian and instead of Ćevapčići, pasta and pizza are served. The hinterland is often advertised as the "Tuscany of Croatia". Istria belonged to Italy until the Second World War, was part of the multi-ethnic state of Yugoslavia and since independence in 1991, most of it has belonged to Croatia. As if to prove the point, a pop singer howls out of the radio in Croatian. The espresso comes while we are already studying the map, on which the place names are only in Croatian. How on earth is a Western European supposed to memorise Žnjidarići or Krbavčići? And how the hell do you pronounce Vrh or Žbevnica when you need to ask for directions?
Martin Cotar doesn't have to ask himself such questions, he knows every little road, no matter how small. The 34-year-old is one of the few Croatian cyclists to have made it as a professional. Without being asked, the former member of the Post Suisse team lauds his home training ground: "You have flat to undulating terrain in the west, a multitude of small, tough climbs around the Mirna Valley, plus long climbs and sensational descents with sea views in the east."
All information about Istria and the GPS data for these tours can be downloaded below:
- Tour 1: Truffle sniffing (104 km, 1,500 m elevation gain, max. 16 per cent gradient)
- Tour 2: Through the Terra Rossa (131 km, 1,350 m elevation gain, max. 9 per cent gradient)
- Tour 3: Mare e Monti (137 km, 3,000 m elevation gain, max. 15 per cent gradient)
- Tour 4: Flair by the sea (69 km, 900 m elevation gain, max. 9 per cent gradient)
