Poreč calls: The Istria300 event week on the Adriatic Sea begins
Poreč, September 28, 2026 Autumn is arriving in Central Europe, but in Poreč, the Istria300 event week begins today. On October 3, 2026, three distances will once again be on offer on roads closed to traffic throughout Istria: the Istria300, the Istria209, or the Istria135 – with participants deciding which to ride out on the course itself.
Istria300 2026 has been sold out since May. Currently, 4,595 participants from over 40 nations are registered. With 2,561 participants, Austria is the largest single nation (55.7%), followed by Germany with 510 (11.1%) and Switzerland with 18 participants. Together, 67.2 percent of participants come from German-speaking countries.
Course concept: choosing your distance out on the road
Supporting program centered on Bike Center Poreč
Around October 3, Istria300 event week offers a multi-day supporting program, held for the most part at the Bike Center Poreč – the city’s cycling hub, located by the Valamar Parentino (4*) and Valamar Pical Resort (5*) hotels. Daily guided road cycling tours have been offered there since September 27, free of charge for all Istria300 participants. On October 1, the “Istria300 Dawn Patrol” starts at 5:30 a.m., also from the Bike Center Poreč, followed on October 2 by a social ride with Istria300 Ambassadors Martin Koch, Christoph Sumann, Klemen Bauer, Manfred Mölgg, Nici Schmidhofer, and Marcela Joglová at 1:00 p.m. The day after the event, the Bike Center Poreč hosts a recovery ride at 10:00 a.m. The guided road cycling tours then continue daily from October 5 to 9, also free of charge for all participants.
The program is rounded out by the Istria300 Expo, featuring 25 exhibitors from the cycling and outdoor sector (October 1–3), as well as a dedicated program for women in road cycling: the Istria300 Ladies Squad meets on October 1 to connect and for its own social ride, before taking the stage in the evening.
Staying as a cyclist with Valamar
Istria300 participants staying at select Valamar hotels in Poreč benefit from discounted rates with a promo code, an early-bird breakfast 2.5 hours before the start, and secure bike storage in the room.
“For many of our participants, the start of event week marks the shift from autumn in Central Europe to a final taste of summer on the Adriatic Sea. That’s exactly what makes Istria300 a fixed point at the end of the season for so many,” said Event Director Julius Rupitsch.
“For us, event week falls exactly in the window when Istria’s summer shows itself one more time. For cyclists who want to stay on, we’ve deliberately kept our Bike Center programme for Istria300 participants running through October 9th – an offer that fits that window perfectly,” said Toni Hrvatin, Head of Destination Product Development at Valamar Riviera.
Registration and information at: www.istria300.com
Valamar – host for cyclists in Istria
Since 2021, Valamar Riviera has been the main partner and host of Istria300, tailoring its offering at select properties specifically to cyclists from German-speaking countries: discounted rates with a promo code, an early-bird breakfast 2.5 hours before the start, and secure bike storage in the room. The aim is a lasting connection between the cycling community and Istria as a destination to return to.
