Final preparations for Cape Epic: Lejla Njemčević and her teammate hone form ahead of the start of the world's toughest race

(Patria) - Bosnia and Herzegovina's top cyclist Lejla Njemčević has entered the final phase of preparations for her historic appearance at the Absa Cape Epic race. Lejla is already in South Africa, where she is completing the final joint training sessions with her teammate Faranak Partoazar in specific and extremely demanding climatic conditions.

The two will represent the Swiss international team "Pump for Peace" in the upcoming eight-day race, which carries the epithet of the "Tour de France of mountain biking." Given that UCI rules require teammates to ride together throughout the entire race, without being separated by more than two minutes, these final training sessions on African soil are of crucial importance for synchronising pace and tactics.

Joint training on the harsh African rocky terrain has confirmed excellent form, and Lejla Njemčević does not hide her satisfaction with the work done and adaptation to extreme heat:

"We have made the most of the past few days to adapt to the extremely high temperatures here, which exceed 41 degrees. The trails in South Africa are merciless, full of sharp rocks and thick dust, but we feel great on the bike. Faranak and I have done several great joint training sessions and found an excellent common rhythm, which is crucial in a race of this format. On Friday, we have an important training session and a test of the first stage route. The atmosphere in the team is fantastic, and we can't wait for Sunday and the official start."

As a reminder, the Absa Cape Epic begins with a prologue on Sunday, March 15, and the competitors face a total of 560 kilometres with an incredible 13,350 metres of elevation gain spread over eight days of racing.

All stages of this spectacular race, in which Bosnia and Herzegovina will have its representative for the first time, can be followed live on the race's official YouTube channel.