Slovenia

more photos

The bumpy north ramp of the Vrsic pass is almost empty, but apart from a few sections near the bottom has been repaired moderately well, but all the hairpins are still cobbles. A bit of a buttock-clencher going down in the wet. The bumps etc. are compensated for by the fantastic views of the Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain.
The south side is well prepared and, running through trees, very reminiscent of the lower Dolomite slopes. It snakes up from Bovec, getting steeper and twistier. Predictable and fun. If you're in this corner then it's a must. If you stop at the top, you may be asked to pay €1 per bike to go to towards the upkeep of the Triglav National Park. Moderately difficult, due to the cobbles and bumpy north side.
According to a reliable source the north side was bumpy due to frost damage and subsidence in early 2005. It seems it is very variable and you should expect bumps. However, don't let this put you off, it is worth it.
[Thanks Ralf]

The Predil pass summit is the border between Italy and Slovenia - passports at the ready. We've only done this from the top down into the south, towards Bovec, having come up the Pso. Sella Nevea. The Slovenian side is great, despite us doing it in the rain it was really good fun. I'd rate it as relatively easy, with faster tight sweepers and moderate twisties towards the bottom, and tighter near the top running through woodland. We did it off season, but I can expect it to be pretty busy at peak times, as it's one of the few border crossings around here, and a convenient short cut to the Austrian motorways.
Bovec is a good place to fill up with fuel (they take Euro cash at the petrol station) and to stop for a rest in one of the many cafes in the centre.

Low, easy, and uneventful, it is also a pretty short up-and-over into Slovenia. I very rarely encounter much traffic here, as most goes through the tunnel on the motorway. Easy.

If you've been riding around northern Italy for a while, you'll be glad of this little escape route to some decent biking roads. It starts off in the hot, congested flood plain of the river Fella, and starts up into the trees on a narrow twisty road. The surface is fair, with an average amount of repairs. There are some tight hairpins, but not too many and watch out for the usual Italian road design of hairpins in the 3 or 4 unlit tunnels. The scenery is forests and trees all the way and the road joins the Predil pass just on the Italian side of the border. Easy/Moderate.

Not really in the Alps anymore, but worth a mention for the lovely old walled old town of Skofia Loka. Landscape to the west is forests and woods on a hilly terrain. Road surface is average but there are some nice twistier sections towards Tolmin. Easy.

The generally well made road follows the River Soca, more or less. Mostly fast sweepers and straights but has a few more interesting sections. The river runs in a gorge and is popular for rafting and white water canoeing in the summer. The only drawback is that it can be busy, being the only really main road around here. Overtaking is easy though.