Earlier today Steven Le Hyaric crossed the finish line in Kotor Bay to win the Trans Balkan Race 2024. After taking the lead through the middle of the night as Jochen Bohringer had to divert off course to sleep in Kolašin, he never let up and although early in the day there was a possibility that Jochen might close up, once Steven was into the high mountains he just powered away to eventually win with a bit to spare.

It's been a thoroughly professional ride from Steven from start to finish. Always controlled, taking sleep where he needed to and never pushing too hard. He timed his run to the line perfectly. As the evening sun shone down on Risan his celebrations will have felt sweet. I think this is probably his best ultra race to date.

3 hours later Jochen crossed the line, no doubt happy with his performance where he has ridden a strong ride over 5 days of the race, I'm sure his thoughts will be what could have been were it not for the issues with sleep deprivation and oversleeping on the last night. 

Our podium completed around half an hour ago when Zbigniew Mossoczy arrived at the finish line to a warm welcome from the other two riders. I'm sure there will be stories being told tonight and bear sightings compared.

Alice Lemkes is still the leading female rider and is sleeping in Žabljak tonight before hoping to finish tomorrow. The closest race is for 5th place with Harry Whiles and Daniel Steingruber just a few km apart but still 60km of hard riding to go before the easy run to the finish. With Lorenz Elmansberger in 4th place and Christopher Kraus in 7th, all four should ride through to the finish over the next 4-8 hours.

Steven Le Hyaric wins the Trans Balkan Race 2024

Morning DotWatchers. What a night on the Trans Balkan Race. The challenging section from Žabljak to above Kolašin had a pretty major impact on the front of the race.

Race leader Jochen looked like he'd paused around 10pm to get some sleep but this turned out to be a very short nap then he continued on. Sleep demons seem to have got the better of him though, after the long and very tough descent towards Kolašin he started up the next climb away before turning back and heading into the town for a proper sleep. At the point he turned around he had just under 3 hours of advantage over Steven. Steven himself stopped just after midnight and grabbed what looks like a 2 1/2 sleep before continuing on. This opened the door to Zbigniew who looks like he went straight through the night with either no sleep or minimal naps.

Then what appears to be disaster for Jochen as he overslept his alarm. Now down in 3rd place he had a lot of distance to make up on Steven and Zbigniew. The affect of no sleep last night was clear as Jochen has quickly overtaking Zbigniew and now has Steven in his sights. The distance between the two just 19km, but with a big difference in sleep last night could the missed alarm prove a blessing in disguise. If he is to real Steven in, Jochen has limited scope to do so. They are both in the high mountain zone before the long slog through the wind farm. However once through this and the relatively benign descent down to Nikšić the route becomes very easy for the last 50km to the finish. But with around 100km still to go for Steven and no doubt a lot of fatigue and sleep deprivation anything could still happen.

Big shout out to ultra racing veteran Tom Quirke. He's been sharing some of his thoughts on the race with me and called Jochen's sleep deprivation as a potential issue yesterday morning.

Overnight for the chasing pack also saw some people make gains. Harry looks like he's gone short on sleep and leapfrogged into 5th place. From his posts on Instagram he's looking to ride through to the finish. However knowing how long this section takes this could be a challenge and with Daniel and Kai-Uwe close on his heals this will be a great fight to the finish for 5th place.

Final update for this morning on women's leader Alice. Another strong day on the bike has seen her break into the top ten and looks like she is currently at CP2 resting up. Hopefully she has enough of a lead and more importantly enough sleep in the bank to protect that top ten. Still a long way to go though from CP2 to the finish line so anything can happen!

A fight to the finish through the Montenegrin Alps

Last night will have been a fascinating one on the slopes above CP2 as Jochen and Steven's race got closer and closer. After, I think, seeing a couple of bears on the climb up to the last pass before CP2, Jochen was then seeing bears everywhere in what he admits was a very sleep deprived state. So sleep deprived that despite the potential proximity of the large furry beasts he had to sleep by the side of the road. As I called it last night this was after the trail passes habitation and a farm. If it is the same as last year, that farm has a large guard dog that was seen escorting a number of riders down the mountain and would probably keep the bears higher up. After a short nap Jochen continued onto CP2 where he got a longer sleep. From the tracking he left just as Steven was arriving so maybe a few small words were exchanged. 

This battle continued as both riders entered the long climb up after the border crossing into Montenegro and the amazing road passage through Durmitor National Park. Jochen was maintaining a 25 - 35km lead over Steven as he entered the town of Žabljak. This is a critical point of resupply as the next point on the route is not for 165km of unrelentingly hard riding through the Montenegrin Alps. All square after both riders had passed through but now Steven is starting to gain on Jochen with the gap down to just under 20km. Is sleep deprivation beginning to bite. 

The route from Žabljak to Nikšić is very remote and has a threatening feel to it, especially as night falls which will be in a couple of hours time. It is possible to escape to Kolašin however this is a 6km deviation off the route which will add time. The terrain is tricky here with muddy trails and a lack of grip likely. This means speeds will be slow which will frustrate the riders. Once past the escape to Kolašin the route climbs high into the mountains with thunderstorms a likely and scary prospect. 

Zbigniew's brave fight to hang onto Steven's coat tails appears to be over, he's now slipped 30km back with a further 30km back to Lorenz. However Lorenz has been gaining so we could see a fight for the final podium spot.

If the lead riders push through the night, which I expect them to at least try, then we could see the first finishers around 6am or 7am tomorrow.

Further back we have a group of people from Kai-Uwe in 5th to Alice in 14th separated by 100km. Harry has recovered well from his injury and is challenging the three riders ahead of him for a top 6 position. These 4 are all in prime bear country as they near the top of the climb before CP2. Alice is continuing to fight hard and another strong day is keeping her in contention for a top ten finish. However in an update this morning she described the route as somewhat challenging and that she was in a bit of a mess. I am pretty sure she is not alone.

The majority of the mid pack are spread out over a 200km distance centred on Mostar. A number of those will be able to descend down in plenty of time for pizza and a hotel bed tonight but others face a cold night up high. At least the rain has eased. After 4 days of pretty miserable conditions the sun is now shining. But that can bring its own problems here with high temperatures and water availability. 

The snail is continuing to wreak havoc on the other end of the race. Its relentless march to the finish is leaving riders in its wake. After the joy of reaching CP1 before closure yesterday afternoon, our favourite pair of Elliot and Emma now have the realisation that the race gets significantly harder from now on. But they have made it safely to Knin where they will hopefully eat all the things.  

Real bears, fake bears and a two horse race

It's been a fascinating day at the front of the race today. The big story of the day has been Steven's impressive pace. He's chased down Zbigniew and overtaken him for 2nd place and is now sitting about 3 hours back on race leader Jochen. Now though both riders will have to think multiple moves ahead. It's still a long way to go to the finish with around 320km to go for Jochen and Steven about 25km back. It's also a very hard 320km especially once the riders go through Durmitor Park, the section from Zabliak to Niksic is very tough and very remote with the only resupply option off route in Kolasin. If the wet weather continues this section can also be very slow going. So the question is how long do riders anticipate it taking and at what point do they think they can go straight through to the finish.

I think it's to early to make a finish move now so it could come down to how much sleep both riders bank tonight. Looking at the tracker Jochen may have stopped already to get sleep whilst he feels he can get 3 hours and maybe get out ahead of Steven. Could this be his last sleep of the race. Jochen is back out of the remote part of this last section where last year Andy Phillips had an encounter with a bear so probably feels it's a safe place to bed down. Steven is still climbing up to that point at the time of writing but having pulled a late one to finish the day before how much does he have in the tank after his big push today?

Still in the women's lead is Alice. Despite her protestations that 13th place would be short lived she's once again had a great day on the bike. Maybe the chaise longue back massager worked wonders as she's now closing in on Mostar in 11th place. If she can keep putting in days like the last two then top ten is well within her sights and maybe higher.

It has been an attritional race so far with issues all across the field. Harry Whiles got in touch from Mostar where he's staying in the same hotel I was in last year. He had a crash a few days ago and currently has an ankle that doesn't quite look the right size. Hopefully a good rest and he will be feeling good in the morning. So far a great race from the guy.

Best news of all is that our favourite pair of Elliot and Emma made CP1 before it closed today. I really hope the weather clears up and gives them a clear run at CP2. They have 600km to go and 2 1/2 days in which to do it. It will be tight so they need some long days in the saddle!

The race leaders are preparing for the end game

I'm kicking off this morning's report with updates from women's race leader Alice Lemkes who put in a mammoth day, in her words somewhat by accident, to make it from CP1 through to Livno at about 2.30am. The hard climbs out of Knin sapped her energy and she was feeling wobbly on arrival in Knin but really wanted to reach Livno and a hotel so she could get clean. I'll let her continue the story....

"The first climb out of Knin is a real brute and the sun set just before the top. So much rain and the final stretch was a real slip and slide. I’m sure it took me far too long to get to Livno but I was so utterly disgusting, I won’t go into details, that I just had to keep moving. Got here at 2:45 after finding one Bosnian mark in a 24/7 car wash station that bought me 2 minutes after the f**king horrific slog across cloying mud before the road climb into Bosnia. Sheeeesh. I let myself into my hotel room and there’s a chaise longue with back massager in it (all for €25!?)."

These are the stories we will remember!

I brought news of Hanna Claesdotter a couple of days ago, her adventures are continuing with more stories of rain, nervous encounters with dogs and carrying loaves of bread across the race route. At one point she thought she might not make CP1 until 2 in the morning but managed to pick up some pace and made it for 00:34 despite describing the last 4-5 hours as horrific. 

Continuing their battle with the snail are the pair of Elliot Norris and Emma Johnson. They took the strategic option of an early stop in Gospic last night to avoid the rain and got an early start this morning..... into the rain. They are currently about 16km behind the snail but a strong push today could see them retake it. The snail is moving at around 5.5km/h.

Rain and mud have been a constant theme over the first 3 1/2 days of the race however race director Bea has just posted to the main comms chat that this should be the last day of rain and some drier weather is coming. If riders can hold out for one more day then this should not only mean the waterproofs can go away but as the course dries up then speeds should improve.

Story of the day from yesterday goes to Tony Ramenda. He managed to leave his passport at the first hotel of the race and knowing he couldn't continue without it he got it posted ahead to his location in Gospic. The wait meant he could load up on plenty of food and did seem to get caught up in a wild Croatian party! Safely reunited with his passport he's since made good progress and is currently at CP1.

Now back to the front of the race and the way this is playing out really shows the importance of managing your pace and your sleep properly. Jochen is continuing to give a masterclass in race management. After his early stop in Knin the nigh before, last night he was able to make Mostar and again take an early stop in a hotel for quality sleep before getting moving again at 1:30am. He now has a commanding lead of 50km over 2nd place Zbigniew. 

Also showing his experience is Steven Le Hyaric. He managed his pace well on the first couple of days, didn't get sucked into racing too hard and has now climbed up to 3rd place after a late push to Mostar last night arriving around 3:30am. He's on the move now this morning and will be looking to chase down Zbigniew over the course of today.

Sadly news of two scratches in what was our leading 7. Adam Palin suffered an injury to his leg over the course of yesterday and despite resting overnight in Livno the pain was too severe so he's had to pull out. Manu Truccolo has been suffering with a suspension fork stuck in locked out mode. The wrist pain after the tough section from Livno was really severe and despite a long rest he was unable to continue. 

More updates to follow later.

On the chaise longue

Last night was a great insight into how all the leading riders are managing their approach to sleep. With most of this leading pack of 7 riders skipping sleep the first night (I think Adam and Steven did manage to sleep on night one) there will have been some sleepy eyes going into the second night.

I think Jochen played this the most sensibly and this seems to have paid off for him. He knew he needed some good sleep so rather than push on he stopped early in Knin to get a hotel and should have got around 4.5 - 5 hours of sleep. Manu on the other hand pushed on into the night, so whilst he did get a similar amount of sleep this was wild camping at the side of the road. Zbigniew also pushed on and went very short on sleep, looks like around 90 minutes looking at the tracking data. I suspect he will struggle later today on the accumulated sleep deficit.

This has given the advantage to Jochen, he overtook Zbigniew somewhere around the Bosnian border and has slowly but consistently stretched out his lead as they go across the remote section between Livno and Mostar. He's now 8km ahead. 

Sleep management

I want to kick off this evenings update on the Trans Balkan Race with updates from some of the riders I've been following on Instagram as there are some great stories to share.

First up Hanna Claesdotter (@himecta). She had a tough day yesterday that was really made worse with a faulty water filter. Let's just say a good nights sleep was not had. Short on water she seemed super happy to make Fuzine and get some fresh water. But the struggles were just beginning, 11 hours for the first 2000m of a 4000m climbing day, she'd booked ahead to Gospic in a moment of optimism. She then went past the mountain hut at 240km but decided not to stop and is now continuing through the night in search of flat ground to sleep on! Luckily she is now a good 10 hours ahead of the snail and hopefully enjoying a beautiful night ride.

Involved in a fight with the snail all day are pair Elliot Ness and Emma Johnson. You can find updates from Elliot on instagram ddhere (@___roadtoironman) He's had such a positive outlook all day, enjoying the scenery and the fight with the snail. Starting a long way back, they have gradually reeled the snail in and now have a 3 hour advantage. It looks like they are bedding down in Oltari for the night (good water tap available there I seem to remember) along with a couple of other riders. A short sleep please Emma and Elliot and then onto Gospic in the morning for some well needed resupply!

It's been a fascinating day at the front of the race. Manu was first into CP1 around 3pm closely followed by Jochen. They seemed to have a bit of stop there hopefully getting food on board before heading out. However out on course, Jochen was slowly gaining on Manu and overtook before the long technical descent towards Knin. Jochen is a very experienced mountain biker so will have been able to make the most of this descent. It is fast and loose and very sketchy. I understand from race direction that Manu is having issues with is front fork not being able to be released from lockout. That wont help. The front 5 all got no or very little sleep last night so this now becomes a factor. Following Adam's dot who's now up to 6th place, he got about 3 hours last night and was reported as looking the freshest of this leading bunch of 7 riders. Jochen has decided to make the most of the major town of Knin to get some good sleep whilst Manu and Zbigniew have pushed on.  At this stage I have to say that banking sleep is probably the better idea so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Leading female rider is still Alice Lemkes. She's had a monster day starting from Fuzine at 4:30 this morning and is making good progress to CP1. Currently at 230km for the day and 55km to go to the checkpoint. It's a long climb through the woods she's on at the moment so hopefully she's got some music on to keep the bears away. I found a Bluetooth speaker to be very good at this last year and can clearly state that bears don't like Taylor Swift.

Fighting the snail and a mechanical for the leader

With the rain affected first day out of the way we now start to see the tactical decisions coming to the fore and the real race starting. Crucial decisions taken last night and this morning about sleep and resupply will play out over the course of the next 24 hours as the lead riders tackle the remote sections between the large towns of Gospic and Knin.

The first casualty of the race has been early leader Niccolo Varanini. His ferocious pace masking an illness he was carrying. A persistent cough and a cold sleep meant he has diverted off route and is making his way back home. This left the way clear for Manu Truccolo to force the pace closely followed by Jochen Bohringer some 10km behind. A clear pack of leaders has now established from Niccolo in first back to Adam Palin in 8th. But, did all of those lead riders manage to get food in Gospic. If not it is a long way to the next major resupply point of Knin, food will be available at CP1 but not the large quantities of bars, sweets and pastries needed to fuel the riders intake of around 6000 calories a day. This could mean those a little further back who did stop in Gospic to have the upper hand.

This lead pack are currently going through another high forest section with smooth consistent gradients and good trails before plunging on the descent down to CP1. But beware, just as you think you will be there in a  matter of minutes, the route throws you down narrow gullies and mud bound tracks.

Women's leader Alice Lemkes set off early at 4:30am local time after a good stop so hopefully will have dried out and be feeling fresh and is making good progress through the forests towards Gospic.

Across the field riders will be hoping for drier and warmer conditions today. It was the cold as much as the rain, and the lack of available water that affected a lot of riders. 

I'll be back with more updates this evening and hopefully some stories from the road on day two.

The tactical game starts

What a start to the Trans Balkans Race. Riders woke up this morning to dark skies and rain falling. As we've gone throughout the first day we've had a series of rain fronts come through and drench the field. Although it's been a wet and slow start compared to previous years, the front runners have been pushing on hard with minimal stopping.

At the front it's been Niccolo Varanini and Manu Truccolo setting the pace. As the evening closed in they've been joined by Jochen Bohringer to form a lead trio separated by 5km. They are all pushing on into the forests with the next key decision being when to stop and get some sleep tonight. They are now into a long stretch without resupply so success over this section may come down to how well they resupplied at Fuzine.

![Steven Le Hyaric getting more supplies](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6BjaMa2YCitgGgmyKW6n1w/3f2cb6dbdc8996dc8b266bf17985d196/WhatsApp_Image_2024-05-31_at_21.24.10.jpeg)

Behind the leading trio a pack of nine riders is spread out over 17km forming the second main group on the course. All these riders will be set on a long ride and possibly short sleep so it will be very interesting to see how this changes over night. The terrain is a high mountain forest with a lot of places to bivy but also the potential for a bear sighting. There is a mountain hut at around km 240 so that might get busy tonight.

![Marianne and Annika on Day One](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2CisM5HfhFJyUBaLEmAW43/76b576e98e94275708d273f4f59fcf13/WhatsApp_Image_2024-05-31_at_21.24.10__3_.jpeg)

The rain has slowed people down, Fuzine is the last key resupply point before Gospic, a distance of 180km. Currently a bunch of around 20 riders have collected there including current female leader Alice Lemkes. It looks like they've all made the decision to sleep early so we may see some early movers in the morning. 

Towards the other end of the race the snail is making a much earlier appearance in the minds of the riders due to the rain. A group have stopped around km 80 in the first resupply point of Permani but the snail is looming large just 5km behind.

But weather can change everything. Speaking to race director Bea out on course it looks like tomorrow might dry up giving some faster conditions as the race leaders make their way across to CP1 and the main pack make their way through the high forests.

![Manu on Day One](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1debC97FYeQvfetvaZxme1/002870e4bdd11c3d7c06f11a7043c9ed/WhatsApp_Image_2024-05-31_at_21.24.10__4_.jpeg)

What is certain is that the race is still in its very early stages and a lot will change over the coming days. I'll be back with a morning summary of the overnight changes.

Nice Weather For Ducks


Tomorrow morning, 125 riders will set off from Sezansa in Slovinia to take on the Trans Balkans Ultra Race. This is a grueling, off-road bikepacking event that challenges cyclists to traverse the rugged terrain of the Balkans. The race is known for its extreme conditions, including steep ascents, rough riding surfaces, and limited water availability, making it one of the toughest cycling races worldwide. I took part in the race last year so know what the riders are about to face, so join me here on DotWatcher as I guide you through the event.

The 2024 route spans 1,350 kilometers across the borders of former Yugoslavian countries, boasting a total ascent of 27,000 meters. The race will take cyclists through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, with 82% of the route being off-road. Starting in Slovenia the early phases feature long wooded trails and high mountain meadows which will give the front runners an early chance to test their legs. Towards the end of day one high winds can often hit the more exposed areas.

Resupply can be hard, and if it's hot then water anxiety will be a common theme. This happens early on as the riders will have a long stretch with no options as they head towards the important resupply point of Gospic. Planning here will be crucial. More forest trails and a few steep climbs bring the riders to CP1 and a welcome respite. 

It is on leaving CP1 that you feel the race is really starting as the route climbs high into the typical karstic landscapes as riders make their way to the start of the long and challenging descent towards Knin. Up till now those that have chosen a gravel bike may still believe they are on the right bike. The next 50km into Knin will remind them why this is a mountain bike ride. Fast, technical and loose descents favour those with good braking skills and suspension front and back. From here on in the gravel bike riders will begin to question their life choices.

The long climb up to the Bosnian border sees the return of some of the off-road approach from the first edition of the race before dropping back to the road for the final climb up to the border checkpoint. Next up the town of Livno can provide a welcome cluster of hotels, shops and restaurants for riders desperate for a good nights sleep and a decent meal.

Livno to Mostar is another long remote section in a typically Balkan environment. Long stretches between resupply in a high and remote karstic landscape. This was one of the highlights of my race last year as I made my way through the high plateau. Mostar itself is a mixture of the modern and the old. A fantastic pizza place followed by a view over the old bridge, a series of petrol stations and hotels on the way out of town providing more options to our weary riders.

The climb out of Mostar is steep and unrelenting, a mixture of roads and tracks leading to another remote mountain plateau and a dirt road before the descent to Ulog and the long ride up the valley before climbing up and over two huge climbs and the descent to CP2. Here you may be lucky and be escorted by a farms guard dog. Last year he was seen by multiple riders running down along side the riders till the end of his territory. Or you may be unlucky and come face to face with a bear deep in the forests. 

After CP2 and probably the best ultra cycling resupply at the petrol station at Brod, the riders cross the border into Montenegro. A new section of route will take them off-road towards the stunning beauty of Durmitor national park. Now the race is entering its end game. And the end game is full of surprises and challenge. What looks like an easy trek across another high plateau to above Kolacin is a dark brooding place full of menacing guard dogs and tricky trails. The tough descent to Kolacin has been replaced by a more direct route across the mountains leading to the last real difficulty of the race high in the Montenegrin Alps. Beware as the storms can hit hard and fast up here and shelter can be hard to find. 

Now all that remains is the descent to Niksic and a nice easy road before the stunning descent to Kotor bay and the finish line. The first riders will probably come home sometime before Wednesday morning, most taking to the weekend.

So who will be fighting it out at the front. Who are the riders to watch out for. As always with this race there are some well known faces but also there will be some new riders out to make their mark. 

Steven Le Hyaric has taken part and finished will in some of the biggest races in the world as well as taking on some incredible adventure challenging including his 666 project across the 6 largest deserts in the world.

Jochen Bohringer is a super strong rider having finished high in the rankings of the Atlas Mountain Race and Silk Road Mountain race in the last few years. He's coming into the race in great form after a 3rd place finish in the Race Across Italy behind ultra racing superstars Christophe Strasser and Justinas Leveika.

Manuel Trucollo is back for more after 7th place and an eventful race in the inaugural Trans Balkans race in 2022. Since then he's achieved some notable results in both solo and pairs.

Alice Lemkes from the renowned group The Adventure Syndicate has had strong finishes in some of the toughest races including HT550 and GB Duro. A special shout out for travelling overland to the race from the UK. She's also been going to great lengths to get inside information on likely conditions. She even watched my video on last years race!!!! 

[Trans Balkans Race 2023](https://youtu.be/i7GFij51vt8)

Raphael Albrecht and Jakub Kopecny will be looking to make a clear statement in the pairs category.

Harry Whiles, organiser of the Dorset Divide race, is going to be a contender. He's been working hard this year with coach Rich Rothwell. I bumped into Harry up on the South Downs a few weeks ago and he was looking strong.

Finally I have to mention one of my coached riders Adam Palin. He comes into Trans Balkans on the back of a great string of results with first place in Gran Guanche Trail, 6th place in the Atlas Mountain Race and just last week 1st place in the Bullring race. Obviously I shall be impartial but GO ON ADAM 😂

Sit back and enjoy everyone, it's going to be one hell of a race.

Trans Balkans Race 2024 - Race Preview

Niel Copeland

Trans Balkan Race TBR 2024 Tracking and Commentary: Riders of the third TBR will pass through the stunning National Park of the Dinaric Alps, crossing from Slovenia into Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally Montenegro via trails, gravel roads, and a little tarmac.

Trans Balkan Race TBR 2024 Tracking

Riders of the third TBR will pass through the stunning National Park of the Dinaric Alps, crossing from Slovenia into Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally Montenegro via trails, gravel roads, and a little tarmac. Discover the wild side of the Balkans.

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