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.

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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)