The second edition of Kromvojoj took place last May, an ultra-distance and self-sufficiency cycling event, starting and leaving in the city of Reus (Tarragona). A total of 40 cyclists, with a local participation of close to 50%, started on Saturday, May 13 at 8:00 p.m. A true challenge only within the reach of the most adventurous.
Kromvojoj is a non-competitive proposal with a defined itinerary of 1,400 kilometers and 24,000 meters of accumulated elevation gain. This distance must be completed without help or external assistance, once the tour begins, each participant must be able to complete the itinerary self-sufficiently
The strategy and the number of stops, which each one is planned individually, determine a key aspect for the future of the test. In 2022 Oriol Chias was the first participant to finish the tour in 3 days and 5 hours, in this 2023, Toni Calderón has used 3 days and 11 hours.
Throughout the event, for a week, on the official website www.kromvojoj.cc the evolution of all the participants can be observed live, since they have a satellite tracking bag that allows them to follow their feat on alive. In addition, the organization discloses all the content that the participants share on their social networks through the Kromvojoj account on Instagram, allowing the live monitoring experience to be personified.
Entrants must stamp their brevet card at each of the control points, this year located in the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, Port de la Bonaigua and Mont Caro, three iconic points of Catalan geography.
In this edition, due to the strict weather conditions in the Pyrenees, after the passage of the first runners, the organization decided to close the passage through the Port de la Bonaigua, prioritizing safety in participation and eliminating the second control point.
With the direct detour to La Pobla de Segur, only the first four finishers managed to complete the original proposed route, the rest of the cyclists were forced to cut the total distance by 250 kilometers, giving rise to a second list of 'finishers'.
After several days in the saddle, a quarter of the participants had made the decision to quit, while 75% of those who started Kromvojoj completed their adventure. The average daily distance was between 470 and 290 kilometers, figures only within the reach of true enthusiasts.
The final point of the adventure culminated in the party held on the seventh day, where participants, volunteers and the organization met, along with friends and families, to recount and summarize what was experienced from different perspectives. A wonderful moment of exchanging anecdotes.
Kromvojoj's motto, “One route, many paths”, reflects how, starting from the same journey, the experiences are as varied and rich as people participate. A great initiative that distances itself from the competition and proposes a challenging and adventurous bike route.
