Day one of our Slovenia trip had done enough to convince us that Slovenia had plenty of riding to compete with the bike parks of western Europe, but day two was when it revealed to us its hidden treasures.

In the morning we headed to a zinc mine that hosts the Black Hole Enduro race. That’s right, a race… in a cave.

Dropping into the start of the race run is tight, but doable, and as the trail flattens out, all that can be heard is the clatter of loose rocks echoing around the walls.

The riding is loose, and nothing special in its own right, but the experience is unforgettable. To ride in such an environment is one of the most bizarre but enjoyable experiences two wheels has brought my way.

The afternoon was a totally opposite experience. We headed into the bright sunshine of the Peca mountain to hit the world’s longest flow trail. It consists of over ten kilometres of non stop berms and tabletops on smooth gravelled singletrack.

Whether this is true mountain biking is debatable — but it’s pure, simple, undiluted fun. Eventually, after six minutes or so, Anej pulls up. My cheeks are aching; never have I smiled and laughed so much down a trail. I don’t want it to end, and we’re barely a quarter of the way down!

On day three we move on to a new part of Slovenia and discover that its trails have some bite as well as undiluted flow