Timeline
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 21, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 16
Day 16 – Saray → Istanbul 🇹🇷
Final stretch – and not an easy one!
The road into Istanbul was full of climbs, rolling hills and tricky urban sections.
The energy in the city builds as you get closer – it’s a mix of excitement and exhaustion 🏙️💪
On the…
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Dani 🍉 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 20, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 15
Day 15 – Primorsko → Saray 🇧🇬→🇹🇷
Longest stage so far in terms of both distance and climbing.
The day started with problems:
• The CR2032 battery in my left shifter was empty
• Road 99, my planned route, was partially destroyed and washed out in the early section ⚠️🌊
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Um die Welt and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 19, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 14
Day 14 – Obzor → Primorsko 🇧🇬
What started as a bike ride turned into a full-on hike with a bike.
Immediately south of Obzor, the gravel road became completely impassable:
• Broken forest tracks
• Landslides
• Washed-out ground
• No signage, no alternatives
I spent nearly 3 hours…
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Aleksa Djordjevic likes this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 18, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 13
Day 13 – Eforie Nord → Obzor 🇷🇴→🇧🇬
Mostly grey skies and steady rain all day – ideal for covering ground but not for sightseeing 🌧️
Coastal roads were mostly paved, a few rough sections near villages, but otherwise good progress.
Passed through Varna, where I found:
• Natural sulphur…
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Lutz, Michi_S 🇦🇹 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 17, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 12
🔹 Day 12 – Near Giurgiu → Eforie Nord 🇷🇴
The day started well: quiet country roads, rolling farmland, and gentle hills.
The only challenge early on was the persistent headwind, which slowed things down but was manageable 💨.
The real issue came approaching Constanța:
• Extreme traffic 🛻🚛
•…
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Michi_S 🇦🇹 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 16, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 11
→🇷🇴
Ferry from Nikopol to Turnu Măgurele worked like clockwork.
Lots of sunshine, smooth rolling.
EV6 in parts not ridable at all. Shifted to mainroad.
Still a very enjoyable ride.
✅ Reliable ferry, nice weather, solid day on the bike.
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Michi_S 🇦🇹 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 15, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 10
🔹 Day 10 – Sinistra → Krushovene 🇧🇬
Mostly quiet, flat roads. Few EV6 markings.
Very low traffic, only one dog incident.
Good day to recover a bit and move steadily east.
✅ Peaceful ride, no major challenges.
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Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹, Michi_S 🇦🇹 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 14, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 9
🔹 Day 9 – Giurgiu → Sinistra 🇷🇴→🇧🇬
Grey skies, but otherwise a good day.
EV6 became completely unrideable mid-way: deep ruts, wet fields, no track.
Had to switch to the highway – no alternative.
✅ Progress made, but significant detour necessary.
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Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹, Michi_S 🇦🇹 and Aleksa Djordjevic like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 13, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 8
🔹 Day 8 – Krushovene → Giurgiu 🇧🇬→🇷🇴
Took the Nikopol ferry back to Romania – spot-on timing.
Sunny, quiet roads, and as a bonus: a live folk music performance during lunch!
Last stretch had strong headwinds, but otherwise a wonderful day.
✅ Great mood, tailwinds early, culture surprise mid-ride.
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Aleksa Djordjevic, Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹 and Michi_S 🇦🇹 like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 12, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 7
🔹 Day 7 – Vidin → Krushovene 🇧🇬
Started well, but the EV6 route became impossible: deep mud, farm tracks, unrideable terrain.
Switched to main roads – more traffic but far better rideability.
Stayed overnight in a converted village school – warm hospitality and unique vibe.
⚠️ EV6 unrideable in…
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Aleksa Djordjevic and Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹 like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 11, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 6
🔹 Day 6 – Drobeta → Vidin 🇷🇴→🇧🇬
Crossed the Danube again, this time via ferry from Turnu Măgurele to Nikopol – perfectly on time.
Sunshine all day, long ride on quiet roads.
Fewer stray dogs today, better riding conditions.
✅ Calm day, good ferry, excellent flow.
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Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 10, 2025
Wien → Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 5
🔹 Day 5 – Bela Crkva → Drobeta-Turnu Severin 🇷🇸→🇷🇴
Ferry crossing into Romania near Kladovo – fast and easy.
Rode through the first real Danube hills – stunning views and some climbing.
Roads mostly good, light traffic, occasional narrow curves.
Scenery really picked up – Iron Gates area starts.…
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Aleksa Djordjevic, Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹 and Danilo like this.
Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 9, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 4
🔹 Day 4 – Inđija → Bela Crkva 🇷🇸
Mainly flat again, with long straight sections.
Road surfaces varied: some great, some rough rural roads.
First real elevation gain over the Danube ridge.
Highlight: slept in an old school building – unique experience!
✅ Decent roads, mixed quality, very special…
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Aleksa Djordjevic and Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹 like this.
Stefan Link went for a bike ride
October 8, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 3
🔹 Day 3 – Göd → Inđija 🇷🇸
Morning began with smooth tarmac and scenic countryside.
Later, the route moved onto busy roads with little shoulder – heavy traffic in places.
First noticeable climbs as the Danube landscape started changing.
Stayed in Inđija, Serbia.
⚠️ Traffic-heavy sections, some climbing, less…
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Stefan Link went gravel riding
October 7, 2025
Vienna - Istanbul Tour 2025 | Day 2
🔹 Day 2 – Mosonmagyaróvár → Göd 🇭🇺
Long day with strong tailwind – perfect conditions!
Good surfaces for most of the route, mostly paved river paths and minor roads.
Passed through the center of Budapest, which was a mix of beauty and busy traffic.
The final stretch to Göd…
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Aleksa Djordjevic and Bernhard🚴♀️🇦🇹 like this.