B-HARD Ultracycling in Bosnia 1036km

About B-HARD: www.bhardultrarace.com

In June 2019, I was happily invited by fellow endurance cyclist and fanatic TCR dotwatcher Nikica Atlagic. A native of Banja Luka, his goal was to set up an equivalent of HARDCRO (ultracycling tour of Croatia) within his wonderful country of Bosnia Herzegovina. Bosnia is not a cycling destination as famous as the Dolomites or Mallorca. But from what I had seen during the TCRno6, it had a great potential. Lots of mountains, some above 2000m, decent road surface, a warm climate, a welcoming population and this feeling to be « off the beaten path ».

So when Nikica invited me to the premiere edition of his race, I was enthusiastic right away. Our contacts were very friendly, and I was amazed by his very professional approach of the race. As a web designer, he managed to create an appealing brand identity. As a cyclist he chose the best possible checkpoints with a lot of elevation. As an organiser he handled everything in detail so that the participants could focus more on riding, and less on administration.

On the day of my arrival, Nikica welcomed me at Banja Luka Airport (direct flights from Charleroi and Berlin). He had arranged an appartment that I would share with a fellow racer from Ukraine. He also gave me a local SIM card to avoid expensive roaming costs. Finally, I was completely briefed in fluent English about the tricky points in the GPX track. As we were going for the 1000km ACP brevet, certain checkpoints were important to reach on time.

I was happy to arrive 2 days early, so I could get used to the climate, visit the city and rest before the start. Banja Luka is a laid back city in the North of BiH. Catholic churches, orthodox temples and mosques share the skyline peacefully. The area is covered in lush vegetation and water is their common treasure. Local food consists in ‘cevapi‘ (kind of tasty kebab in Turkish bread) and ‘burek‘ (salted meat pie). Both are very helpful if you plan on cycling long distances in Bosnia! Everything is ridiculously cheap (divide everything by 2 at least, compared to Western Europe).

I felt pretty safe in Bosnia, both in the cities and on the road. It’s true that cars and trucks keep little distance from cyclists. But the Bosnians are generally assertive and good drivers. They are not as distracted or frustrated as the drivers I come across in Brussels every day. One progress that would be welcome: less polluting cars. One third of the cars literally produces grey smoke. And that’s quite a pity in such a pristine country.

Before the start of the race, Nikica took me on a short 85km ride around Banja Luka. Views were magnificent and we had pretty good tarmac. We ended with pictures at the refreshing Krupa waterfalls and an ice cream with chocolate and apple topping at café Buk, near the Vrbas river. Everything was in place for a nice start on Thursday 13th of June. Except the weather forecast: three days of temperatures above 35 degrees, very exceptional in Bosnia. That was my major concern. Let’s wait and see…

ON TO DAY 1 >>

INCLUDED IN MY B-HARD REGISTRATION PACKAGE:

• Local SIM card
• Welcome pack from the Banja Luka tourism office
• Beverages at every check point (bananas, energy bars, power drinks, water)
• Two warm meal vouchers
• Accommodation arrangements (sports hall in Ljubuski, appartment in Visegrad)
• Full insurance for during the race
• Photographer and team car following the racers
• Curated GPX track going through the most scenic places in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Medal and certificate
• Finisher’s ceremony in a palace in Banja Luka

B-HARD Leg 3 : Višegrad to Banja Luka (348km)

I got waken up by Nikica’s father at 8h10. All the other participants were already riding and I could see their pictures and videos on Facebook. It felt strange to belong to a race without being on my bike. With a few dry biscuits in my mouth and inflated tires, I set off to the first climb of the day: a horrible 1000m D+ away from the Drina valley. The switchbacks kept coming at a steep 8% until I noticed that I had climbed the full elevation of my home country Belgium (694m) in less than an hour!

The other riders had taken a head start of more than an hour, so I had to stay patient. In the city of Rogatica, I was strangely craving for chicken with a cream sauce. I found a chicken with gorgonzola sauce in a fresh little Restoran where a waitress openly told me I was « so beautiful » with all of her friends watching. I didn’t know: was she serious or just joking? So I simply told her « Thank you ». No time here for a short-term relationship.

This hell of a day went on climbing under a scorching sun. But I had already slept and eaten, unlike my competitors. I was hoping this could give me an advantage to even win the race. Little did I know of the coming climbs… Reaching CP8 at Jahorina ski resort at 1685m on a conqueror’s tempo cost me a lot of efforts. I caught 3 riders and the 8th fastest time on Strava in my crazy ascension, but ended with a heart on the verge of exhaustion. It took about 30 minutes to calm down the pumping muscle. From there on I really took it calmly.

The ride down to Sarajevo was a welcome 30 kilometers without pedaling. Around the Bosnian capital the heat was so hard to bear that I dropped down at a store with salt crisps for 0.25€. I stayed there for 30 minutes, gazing at the horizon. The kind of simple moments you remember forever. An old lady was wondering who I was and where I came from, but there was no way to communicate.

What’s left of the ride is about holding on and never give up. My legs were clearly not responding anymore. I just kept them moving and tried not to stop too often. Sarajevo disappeared and the night fell on Bosnia once again. Still cycling. I knew the remaining distance of 150km was feasible, but a very high mountain (Vlašić, 1490m) was in the way. A trout would help me with that. But there comes a time that food and drinks don’t help you anymore. Only sleep could bring a solution.

There was no pride in my climb of Vlašić. Nikica and Szenia were riding a few switchbacks before me, but faster. I stopped every kilometer and it became a long and exhausting battle up to the top. The view looked amazing, but I only saw stars and little lights down in the valley. After a horrible 1h30 of efforts at 10km/h average, I reached the chalet where local volunteers were waiting for us all through the night. I asked: « Are your friends of Nikica? » They said « Yes ». I answered: « Not anymore then. »

Then I crashed down on a bench for a 2 hours nap. My stomach was acid of all the sugar intake. I was fed up of eating and drinking without ever catching up on my consumption. Strangely I woke up around 3am, remembering that I wanted to reach Banja Luka before 7am (exactly 3 days).

It was a cold way down. Dressed with my wind stopper and a jersey, I cautiously went down this road full of potholes. I’d hoped to get a better average by speeding down this bit. But safety first! Due to my acid stomach I had taken no food from the chalet. But it was still very early to find shops and now I was risking to fall without energy in the middle of the countryside.

The sun came up on the humid meadows of Banja Luka when I thought I had found the Pekara (bakery) that would save me. But their sandwiches were impossible to swallow. So I pedaled on to the Banja Luka valley, where I would finally arrive to the finish… again in 3rd position!!!

As soon as I had handed over my tracker and brevet card to the organisers, I went to eat old pasta, take a shower and sleep. It was vital at that point.

<< BACK TO DAY 2
<< BACK TO DAY 1

 

DAY 3 STATISTICS

• Distance: 348,64 km
• Moving time: 16h38
• Average speed: 21,0 km/h
• Elevation: 5295 m
• Maximum speed: 73,8 km/h
• Temperature: 23*C average (max. 41*C)

B-HARD Leg 2 : Ljubuški to Višegrad 319km

I realised that I’d picked the only deflated mattress. Five minutes on my neighbour’s bed gave me more rest than 4 hours on mine. I had arrived third yesterday, but most of my fellow riders had left before me in the morning. I woke up at a very decent 7am, last but two. In the early morning sun, every little climb felt like a challenge, and I needed to drink for two. Soon I reached the Neretva valley and started looking out for the so-called « zombie railroad » that Nikica had warned me for. No resupplies there for 40km… The road kept going up steeply and I had run out of water reserves. Hutovo, Tncina… The only solution was to go on through these mountains, where the only inhabitants were sheep. I did not even catch a glimpse of the sea, 30km away from here.

In the next village I was too picky to stop at the only available pub, and decided to feel lucky. But the next villages were only houses. I sat down with a pair of retired raki drinkers, who kindly let me sip on their cool water bottle. Five minutes of rest in the shadow. 5 kilometers further I found a restaurant with an inviting gazebo. For one hour, the magnificent Sebi Cicleta became a castaway attached to this ship wreck called Vinarija Anđušić. There was no way to pedal again until that lamb brochette and the salty fries were in my tummy. Together with the 3 fantas, that is.

Then I bravely faced the desert climate again, with 42*C on my Wahoo! ELEMNT. Nikica called me to know if I was doing fine, and I dropped my phone at 25km/h. Crazy enough it kept working and I could explain Nikica that I was just taking the time my body needed. And indeed, however difficult the next few kilometers were, I didn’t give up. CP4 at Trebinje was a lively little city in a baking valley. The next roads took me to higher areas where I gradually lost 4-5 degrees. This gave me extra motivation, so I caught up with the riders in front of me. In the meantime a rider had given up behind me.

As a fine climber I knew that I could follow Nikica’s dot, the next in line. We passed in an amazingly beautiful altiplano, with cows walking free along roads crossed by large dirty trucks. Welcome to Stepen and Avtovac, more than 1000m high. I caught up with Nikica for a fast descent to Tjentiste. That road was worth the best of the Alps. Modern tunnels, viaducts and narrow valleys with cedars growing on scary rocks.

CP5 at Tjentiste was a very natural place with an impressive white monument evoking two futuristic hands. I found the motivation to climb the hill toward that monument for a picture and a Facebook Live broadcast. After that I ate an excellent forest risotto with mushrooms and several drinks.

The day wasn’t over yet. 98 mainly flat night kilometers were on the programme before sleeping. Taking off after a good meal is a very unpleasant experience. The sweaty clothes cool you down and all the muscles scream for rest. Not to speak of saddle pains. After a useless short climb of 400m, I chased down to Foča (where we had passed during the Transcontinental Race last Summer). A bit further I caught up with Ukrainian light-weight ultracyclist who was taking the evening ride smoothly.

Catching him made me 3rd again. I kept this place until CP6 in Višegrad, connected to the outer world with 39 tunnels. Cycling through this endless series of artificial caves almost got me mad. The last one came as a deliverance and I crossed the iconic bridge over the Drina river. The race organisers had arranged everything with a local appartment where we could drop out bikes and take a shower. Nikica congratulated me with my evening push from last to third. Then I just fell asleep in a comfy bed.

<< BACK TO DAY 1                                                                                                  ON TO DAY 3 >>

 

DAY 2 STATISTICS

• Distance: 319,34 km
• Moving time: 13h49
• Average speed: 23,1 km/h
• Elevation: 3186 m
• Maximum speed: 74,2 km/h
• Temperature: 26*C average (max. 43*C)

B-HARD Leg 1 : Banja Luka to Ljubuški 373km

6:30 on a beautiful Spring morning in Banja Luka. The atmosphere was heavy and moist, and you could feel that this would be a hot day. On the central square, about 30 colourful cyclists were preparing for a ride. Most of them were locally grown and seemed to know each other. As a foreigner I walked between the groups to breathe the friendly ambience. A few riders had come over from Slovenia. One had come cycling from his home town Kiev, in Ukraine, before starting in the race. This showed me a reality that we often do not realise from a Western point of view: a life is happening here in the South-East of Europe. Budapest, Dubrovnik, Ukraine are places within reach. They don’t need Brussels, London or Paris to exist and liaise.

The local tourism office was present with two roll-up banners that constantly flew away. After a short speech by the organisers and an official group photo, we set off behind a police escort. People in Banja Luka were very curious about this whole organisation. Five kilometer later, as I wanted to reajust a strap of my food pouch, I fell over a slippery kerb. Nothing bad, luckily, but everybody got scared to see the ambassador injured. The next days I would nevertheless feel muscular pain in my thigh at every pedal stroke. After the first 30 kms a gruppetto of 4 separated from the peloton. Nikica, Seb, Zvonimir and Sasha. I felt very fresh in the next long climb to CP1 and accelerated alone to the top. Strangely enough, nobody followed in my wheel. After 10 minutes of refuelling by the Soviet-style Makrovica monument, Nikica and I went back down.

As Nikica resupplied in the next town, I headed on to CP2 under a baking morning sun. A resupply would have done me good as well, but I set my mind on the Krupa waterfall 40km further, where cold water flows endlessly. Long hilly backroads took me there. The photographer enjoyed the cascade background to take a few refreshing shots of me. I stopped at a nearby supermarket to buy burek and drinks. The numbers 2 and 3 took me over during my break. There went my pretended supremacy. Starting again after 30 minutes of inactivity my legs hurt a lot. Now I completely felt where I fell. It almost felt as if I had to abandon here. But my cycling instinct whispered « Wait and see before you decide anything ».

The muscular pain faded away gradually as the heat increased. 38, 39, 40… CP2 seemed days away, and the road took us up and down with no apparent reason. But at every spat of shadow I could notice that the two leaders are equally struggling, and resupplying at every possible gas station. I took good care of my body, stopping regularly to let my heart rhythm go down. The climb after the golden church of Mrkjonic Grad was just too much for me, so I decided to walk my bike up that hill (6km/h instead of 9).

Then it was all downhill to the waterful valley of Jajce. Youngsters were taking a dip in a lush green environment. No need to go to Thailand for clear blue water. Jajce has it all! At CP2 we were welcomed by the tourism office and the race organisers. Other participants were there, suffering like I did. During my rest, I learned that Yugoslavia was created by a famous treaty in Jajce. The mighty waterfall still stands symbol of the Yugoslavian union… which made local politicians joke when they visited Niagara together a few years later.

The following kilometers only went up. First following a gentle valley (my legs felt better). Then with steep bits of 10% and more towards the pass of Kupres (1200m). After a surprising short tunnel, I reached a wide valley with fields as far as the eye could see. CP3 was there, near the precious white and red church of Kupres. Three smiling ladies formed a welcome committee at Hotel Maestral and stamped my sweaty brevet card while I ate free dinner with the other riders.

Only 110km left to the sleeping place. That’s the type of moments when you wish you were only on a short bike trip. Kupres seemed like an inviting place to stay. But the road was calling already… With race organiser Nikica, we left into the dark, dark night, following the light of our spotlights. I lost him in a climb and went on alone in time trial mode, without even stopping for about 90km. The good surprise was I arrived 3rd at CP4 in Ljubuški around 1:20AM. Local volunteers welcomed me and took a short interview before I crashed down on a mattress in the middle of the school’s sports hall.

ON TO DAY 2 >>

DAY 1 STATISTICS

• Distance: 373,76 km
• Moving time: 14h58
• Average speed: 25,0 km/h
• Elevation: 3973 m
• Maximum speed: 70,6 km/h
• Temperature: 25*C average (max. 39*C)