Lejla Njemčević (née Tanović,[1] born 19 June 1994) is an Italian-born Bosnian and Herzegovian cross-country and mountain bike cyclist considered as one of the best cross country marathon riders in the World and she is the overall winner of the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.[7] Lejla is as well the first ever mountain bike rider from the Bosnia and Herzegovina to sign a contract for a professional cycling team.[8] Lejla started racing at the age of 15 at local cycling club Klub brdskog biciklizma "Puls" for which team she is still riding.[9] During her career she has won 35 races organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale.[10] Lejla Njemčević is a nineteen time national champion in various disciplines and five time national league overall winner.[11] On regional competitions she has won the Balkan Championships title five time in the row which makes her all time best Balkan rider.[12] Lejla is a graduated student of Faculty of Law in Sarajevo with a master's degree in criminal law.[13]

Lejla Njemčević
Njemčević in 2023
Personal information
Birth nameLejla Tanović[1]
Born (1994-06-19) 19 June 1994 (age 29)[2]
Udine, Italy
Height160 cm (5 ft 3 in)[2]
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Websitewww.lejlamtb.ba
Sport
CountryBosnia and Herzegovina[2]
SportMountain bike racing
ClubKlub brdskog biciklizma "Puls"
TeamAllebike team
Turned pro2014[3]
Coached byAmar Njemčević
Achievements and titles
Regional finals5 time Balkan champion[4]
National finals19 time national champion[5]
Highest world ranking1st on UCI ranking[6]
Medal record
Women's cross-country cycling
Representing  Bosnia and Herzegovina
2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2023 Czech Republic
Silver medal – second place 2023 Italy
Silver medal – second place 2023 France
UCI XCO Balkan Championship
Silver medal – second place 2014 North Macedonia U23
Silver medal – second place 2015 Greece elite
Gold medal – first place 2016 Montenegro elite
Gold medal – first place 2017 Greece elite
Gold medal – first place 2018 Romania elite
Gold medal – first place 2019 Serbia elite
Gold medal – first place 2021 BiH elite
Updated on 24 October 2023.

Results edit

Lejla is Bosnia and Herzegovina national champion at: cross-country (XCO), cross-country marathon (XCM), and cross-country eliminator (XCE).[14] During her career Lejla Njemčević has won total of 19 National Championships in all discipline. In the season 2022, she has won the Marathon World Series presented by the UCI, and claim the number 1 place on the UCI Marathon ranking list.[6] In the following year she has won the overall title of the UCI XCM World Cup, and wrote her name in cycling history of the cross country marathon discipline.[15] The result came after she won the opening round of the UCI XCM World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave in Czech Republic[16] and followed by two second places in Finale Ligure, Italy and Morzine, France. On the final and fourth round of the XCM World Cup in Snowshoe, USA she won 4th place and overall World Cup title with huge point margin over the second place.[15]

Career edit

Lejla Njemčević grew up in Sarajevo, while very young she showed passion for sport and cycling. After intense searching for a mountain bike racing club she started training with Amar Njemčević, one of the best cycling and condition coaches in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[17] After a few years of racing in national races, Tanović started her professional and international career in 2013.[18] She signed a professional contract with Turkish cycling team Salcano Cappadocia in 2014.[3] Lejla won three medals on Balkan championship races, in 2014 she was second in Macedonia[19] and also winning second place in Greece in 2015.[20] But in 2016 she won first gold medal in elite category for Bosnia and Herzegovina on Balkan championship in Montenegro.[21] After that victory she became most successful mountain bike rider in history of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[22][23] After season 2015 and 2016 where she was riding for Salcano team from Turkey she signed for SMF Team from Greece for season 2017.[24] In season 2017 Tanović defended her Balkan champion title in Nafpaktos (Greece), this was her second straight time that she won Balkan title in elite category.[25] In 2018, Tanović defended her Balkan championship title at competition held in Romania [26] After her third successful Balkan championship defence, she won her fourth consecutive Balkan championship in 2019 in Serbia.[27] She was #1 on UCI MTB Cross-country ranking.[28]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Lejla Njemčević osvojila treće mjesto na utrci u Vodicama" [Lejla Njemčević won third place in the race in Vodice]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022. Lejla Njemčević (rođ. Tanović) [Lejla Njemčević (nee Tanović)]
  2. ^ a b c "Lejla Tanovic". baku2015.com. Baku 2015 European Games. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Lejla Tanović potpisala ugovor za profesionalni biciklistički tim Salcano u Istanbulu" [Lejla Tanović signed a contract for the Salcano professional cycling team in Istanbul]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 15 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Lejla Tanović peti put zaredom osvojila Balkansko prvenstvo" [Lejla Tanović won the Balkan Championship for the fifth time in a row]. n1info.ba (in Bosnian). 2 August 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Magoda ugostio najbolju bh. biciklistkinju Lejlu Njemčević" [Magoda hosted the best BiH. cyclist Lejla Njemčević]. Sport.BosnaInfo.ba (in Bosnian). 18 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Lejla Njemčević završila najuspješniju sezonu u karijeri" [Lejla Njemčević finished the most successful season in her career]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 17 October 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Lejla Njemčević u SAD-u podigla trofej ukupnog pobjednika Svjetske serije" [Lejla Njemčević in the USA raised the trophy of the overall winner of the World Series]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 28 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Odlična vijest za bh. biciklizam: Lejla Tanović potpisala ugovor za turski Salcano" [Great news for BiH. cycling: Lejla Tanović signed a contract with Turkish Salcano]. oslobodjenje.ba (in Bosnian). 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Lejla Tanović najbolji takmičar Biciklističkog saveza BiH" [Lejla Tanović is the best competitor of the Cycling Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 23 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Lejla Njemčević career data". mtbdata.com. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Lejla Tanović: U biciklizmu je bitan svaki trening" [Lejla Tanović: Every training is important in cycling]. redbull.com/ba/bs (in Bosnian). 25 March 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Lejla Tanović ponovo najbolja biciklistkinja na Balkanu" [Lejla Tanović is again the best cyclist in the Balkans]. SlobodnaEvropa.org. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Lejla Tanović završila sezonu kao 71. biciklistkinja svijeta i ostvarila uspjeh karijere" [Lejla Tanović finished the season as the 71st female cyclist in the world and achieved career success]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 23 October 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Lejla Tanovic". mtbcrosscountry.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Marathon series champions crowned in the USA after epic final battle". ucimtbworldseries.com. UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Lejla Njemčević dominantnom vožnjom osvojila Svjetski kup u Češkoj" [Lejla Njemčević won the World Cup in the Czech Republic with a dominant ride]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 15 May 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Video profil: Upoznajte Lejlu Tanović". redbull.com/ba/bs (in Bosnian). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Lejla Tanović osvojila prve UCI bodove na biciklističkoj utrci u Vodicama" [Lejla Tanović won the first UCI points at the cycling race in Vodice]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 30 April 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  19. ^ "Lejla Tanović postala viceprvakinja Balkanskog prvenstva u Makedoniji" [Lejla Tanović became the vice-champion of the Balkan Championship in Macedonia]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 22 September 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  20. ^ "Tanovićeva vicešampionka Balkana" [Tanović's vice-champion of the Balkans]. nezavisne.com (in Bosnian). 6 July 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Biciklizam: Lejla Tanović prvakinja Balkana" [Cycling: Lejla Tanović, champion of the Balkans]. nezavisne.com (in Bosnian). 11 July 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Najbolja bh. biciklistkinja Lejla Tanović, uspješno preko svih prepreka" [The best BiH cyclist Lejla Tanović, successfully over all obstacles]. nezavisne.com (in Bosnian). 19 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  23. ^ "Lejla Tanović: Iza mene je najuspješnija sezona, cilj je plasman među 60 najboljih" [Lejla Tanović: The most successful season is behind me, the goal is to place among the top 60]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 29 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  24. ^ "Lejla Tanović potpisala ugovor s UCI timom SMF iz Grčke: Vrijeme je za uzbudljivu promjenu" [Lejla Tanović signed a contract with the UCI team SMF from Greece: It's time for an exciting change]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 9 January 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  25. ^ "Lejla Tanović odbranila balkansku titulu u Grčkoj" [Lejla Tanović defended the Balkan title in Greece]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 17 July 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  26. ^ "Lejla Tanović nakon povrede treći put osvojila Balkansko prvenstvo" [Lejla Tanović won the Balkan Championship for the third time after her injury]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 16 July 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  27. ^ "Lejla Tanović četvrti put balkanska prvakinja" [Lejla Tanović is the Balkan champion for the fourth time]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 8 July 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  28. ^ "Lejla Njemčević se učvrstila na prvoj poziciji UCI svjetske ranking listi" [Lejla Njemčević strengthened her position in the first position of the UCI world ranking list]. klix.ba (in Bosnian). 23 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

External links edit