Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The 2025 Trans Balkan Mid-Race Update comes to us directly from the media car. With a turtle rescue, a torn achilles, and endless climbs through the Balkans, this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting editions yet…
Words by Exploro.cc, photos by Trans Balkan Race media crew
The fourth edition of the Trans Balkan Race started with high spirits in Sežana, Slovenia, but was quickly followed by a brutal reminder of how challenging these trails are. Slovenia threw everything at the riders on the first day, from picturesque ridge lines to rocky ramps and border crossings that felt like they were crafted to keep them humble. No warm-up, the riders went straight into the wild.
Justinas Leveika grabbed an early lead, rolling steady and composed. Behind him, there was already a bit of jockeying for position. Benedek Borsos, David Gambuli, Simon Gwiggner, and Adrien Liechti were all in the mix, playing it cool but keeping the pace up. However, it wasn’t until nightfall that the race really started to heat up. The Balkans are no joke after dark; the forest goes quiet, the temperature drops, and it’s just you and your thoughts. Some found guesthouses, some found the first checkpoint, some just bivvied where they could and hoped for the best.
One of the best stories so far comes from one of the race leaders, Benedek Borsos. Going without a proper meal for almost 24 hours, Benedek lived almost entirely off of gels. Finally, in Gospić, he stopped by the river, shivered in his ultralight bag, and waited for the first shop to open at dawn. He told us, “I don’t stop unless it’s for three hours of real sleep.”
Meanwhile, Sofiane Sehili was his typically strong self but playing it smart. Stopping early and banking a few hours of sleep while everyone else burned the candle at both ends, the Frenchman is reeling the competition in. With each dot coming faster with every passing hour, Sofiane may very well turn this race on its head.
Checkpoint one in Mazin, Croatia, turned into something of an oasis. It’s got the vibe of a family holiday home—warm food, a place to crash, and just enough laughter to remind everyone that they’re all in this together. Riders rolled in dusty and tired, but you could see the relief in their eyes: a bed, a meal, and a moment to breathe.
By day two, the real character of the Balkans started to show through climbs that never find a rhythm, with endless ups and downs that leave riders talking to themselves. Racers said that although the roads were brutal, the views were unreal. In classic Balkan fashion, the terrain is heartbreakingly stunning and totally unforgiving. Followed by the Dinara highlands, a climb that’s basically a slow-motion wrestling match with your own bike, it’s 16 kilometers of up, down, false flats, and then… surprise! More up. It’s a place that looks like a dream in photos but will eat your legs for breakfast if you’re not careful.
On June 2nd, the riders finally crossed into Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s a different world on this side of the border—wide open highlands, endless plateaus, and that feeling like the whole landscape is watching you. But it also carries history. You can feel it in every abandoned house and cracked road—the quiet weight of what these lands have been through.
As for the women’s race, it took a sad turn when Leanne Bentley had to scratch with a torn Achilles tendon. She was riding strong and smart, so it was a tough blow. But now Laura Johannes is in the lead, with Claire Stevens and Susanna Markoff close enough to keep her looking over her shoulder.
As it stands, most of the top 10 have already crossed into Bosnia, while the mid-pack is still cruising on the last Croatian plateau, catching the final rays of that soft Balkan light. Checkpoint one closes tomorrow at 17:00, so no more cozy corners or checkpoint pasta after that!
That said, everyone’s talking about how the real test is still coming. The heat’s starting to build, the climbs ahead are exposed and dry, and there’s just enough wind to remind them the Balkans always have a surprise or two in store. However, out here, it’s the little things that make the difference. Justinas Leveika rescued a turtle, a fresh loaf of bread in a dusty town, a moment on a high ridge where everything is quiet and you can see for miles. That’s the magic of this race—the brutal, the beautiful, and the simple human moments in between. And it’s only just getting good…
Further Reading
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