Lejla Tanović finishes fifth at UCI C1 race in Hungary

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Lejla Tanović finished fifth at the UCI C1 race in Hungary, earning 20 new UCI points.

Tanović has been national champion 11 times and is a four-time Balkan champion.

The victory went to experienced Polish rider Maja Włoszczowska, a two-time Olympic medalist, second place was taken by Hungarian national champion and currently 18th-ranked cyclist in the world Benko Barbara, while the podium was completed by Italian Marchet Giorgia in third place.

The race was held over six laps, and after the first lap Tanović was in eighth position, but she advanced during the race and took fifth place just before the finish.

"This is one of my favorite races because I managed to show my potential against a much more experienced competition that has been competing in World Cups for many years. During the race I gradually progressed, and in the last lap I increased the pace and set my second fastest lap time, finishing in fifth position," said Lejla Tanović.

The most successful Bosnian-Herzegovinian cyclist currently holds 78th place on the world ranking list, and after earning these points she is expected to move up.

"In the Olympic cycle, every UCI point is fiercely contested, so 20 points from Hungary in strong competition is extremely valuable for us. Lejla rode hard from the very start and showed mental strength in the final laps of the race. Two more races await us until the end of the season, and the next one is already next week, again in Hungary," said national team selector Amar Njemčević in conclusion.