Until a few years ago, mountain biking in BiH was mostly reserved for men. Since the arrival of Lejla Tanović, much has changed. Thanks to her persistence, Lejla Tanović is today ten times State champion, double Balkan champion and contestant for UCI SMF team. After the introductory part of this season and nine UCI points in just two months, Lejla takes 79th place on the list of all female bikers in the world. This is the best performance ever for our racer in this period of the year. Lejla and her coach, Amar Njemčević are our guides for mountain biking in BiH.

REMARKS

Great advantage of mountain biking in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the accessibility of the trails to the tourists visiting Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka, Zenica, Doboj and many other cities. Each of these cities hosted races of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the World Bicycle Federation UCI races were held in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, which says much about the potential of BiH when it comes to this Olympic sport.

CAPACITIES

The capacities for this sport in Bosnia and Herzegovina are perfect because it’s abundant in mountains, macadam paths and mountain bike trails.. Herzegovina is suitable for driving all year long- temperatures are always pleasant and there is no snow. The only thing missing are tags on tracks showing where the tracks go.

TRAILS

Trails on Trebević are the perfect example of mountain biking trails, as they contain the ground and roots as a base.  For those of you who enjoy beautiful nature and rocky terrains, ideal trails are on Bjelašnica and Treskavica, and Zvijezda mountain is perfect for less experienced drivers, because it has trails along the macadam road, and is rich in drinking water springs.  There is an interesting trail that goes along Hutovo Blato, 20 km long and rich in beautiful landscapes.

TRAILS FOR THE BRAVEST

One of the most dangerous mountains is Bjelasnica, not because of the terrain but because of the rapid change of weather conditions, and the top of the mountain is almost always windy. It’s not recommended to go to Bjelasnica before June, and before departure always be informed about the weather forecast.

EQUIPMENT

Always carry spare tire or foam for internal tires, pumps, front and rear lights.

ADVICE

In addition to information about the weather, always go to long rides with someone who knows the terrain well. Bring energy bars, gels and plenty of water. Water is extremely important in the summer when mountain springs can dry out. Also, it is very important to bring phone and money, just in case something unexpected happens.