Leona Popović on cycling, skiing, and the beauty of Gorski kotar on two wheels
From the slopes to the saddle, Leona Popović embodies what it means to stay active, resilient, and passionate, on and off the snow. One of Croatia’s top alpine skiers, Leona has recently been on the road to recovery after an injury, finding both strength and joy in cycling. In this interview, she opens up about her rehab journey, the role of biking in her training and mental health, her favorite routes around Gorski kotar, and why she believes cycling tourism in Croatia holds huge untapped potential. Whether you’re an aspiring athlete or a recreational rider, her story is pure motivation.
How did your rehabilitation from injury go?
Rehabilitation went well, more or less according to plan, so I’m really satisfied, both with the rehab process and with the physical conditioning part.
After the rehab, we’ve now started ski-specific training again.
When can we expect to see you back in ski competitions?
The plan is to prepare for the first slalom race, which is scheduled for early November.
We’ve already completed the first block of serious ski training. Up next is a long training camp in Argentina, a bit over three weeks, which will be our first major preparation block for the new season.
We’ve seen you on a bike lately… is cycling something you normally do, or was it part of injury recovery?
I genuinely love cycling, both mountain biking and road cycling. I ride a lot, not just for conditioning, but simply because I enjoy it. I always try to include it as much as possible in my training and prep.
How does cycling help you stay fit and mentally strong during off-snow periods?
Cycling helps both my physical conditioning and my mental well-being. Like I mentioned, I really enjoy riding, and after the injury, I was genuinely excited to get back on the bike… it felt like an important step that came before returning to skiing.
I know cycling is also great for knee recovery, so my top goal post-injury was to get back to riding. Once I managed that, everything felt easier, both physically and mentally, and in terms of motivation.
You’re from Mrkopalj in Gorski kotar (mountainous region of Croatia)… which routes in the area would you recommend to our Bikademy Students?
Yes, I’m from Mrkopalj, and there are a lot of great routes, for both MTB and road bikes.
My favorite road cycling loop passes by the lake in Fužine, climbs toward Gornje Jelenje, then descends to Mrzla Vodica (again near a lake), continues toward Lokve by Lokvarsko Lake, and circles back to Mrkopalj.
It’s a fun loop of about 50 km, great for solid training. It has some nice climbs and beautiful lake views. Probably my favorite route.
And generally, what destination would you recommend for cycling?
In my opinion, Gorski kotar is an amazing region for cycling… there are so many options.
I can spend the entire summer riding and still not cover all the routes I did the previous year. There are always trails I haven’t done yet or places I still want to explore.
There’s truly something for everyone here: routes with steep climbs, easier rides, scenic lake trails, whatever your heart desires. It’s a really beautiful cycling destination.
As an athlete and a sports management student, do you see potential for cycling tourism development in Croatia?
Absolutely. There’s huge potential for cycling tourism in Croatia, especially because we have such a wide variety of landscapes.
Starting with Gorski kotar, because I live here and focus on it, but I believe it’s the same in many other regions… the resources aren’t yet fully utilized.
There’s so much potential: forests, roads… ideal for amazing cycling routes.
Gravel biking is also becoming very popular, and I think there’s room to improve there, like building bike parks or maybe even a downhill track on Čelimbaša. That would be – WOW.
There’s a lot of potential, but also a lot of work ahead.
What would you say to girls starting out in sports, especially in fields like cycling or skiing that are often seen as “male-dominated”?
I honestly never saw skiing as a “male” sport. When I was a kid, we watched Janica Kostelić all the time. We mostly watched women’s skiing, so I didn’t get that impression.
But in general, I think gender is completely irrelevant.
What matters is how you train, how much motivation, will, and passion you have – that’s all that counts.
I believe the focus should be on yourself, your progress, and not paying attention to anything else. That’s my main advice.
