A Bosnian in Beijing: The Magic of Two Wheels

In coming to Sanski Most, I expected to see bicycles. People all over Bosnia rely on bicycles for grocery runs, trips to work, getting to the mosque for the Friday prayer. I expected the usual rusted single speeds and Costco style full suspension varieties. So when Sanjin Durmisevic rode up next to me on his full-carbon race bike decked out with top of the line Campagnolo, I was a bit surprised to say the least. Through a conversation in very broken English I learned that he had been one of BiH’s representatives to the Olympic Youth Camp in Beijing last summer. We traded crash stories. He asked why I didn’t shave my legs (which he thought was pretty funny). I asked about racing in Europe (to which he responded by mimicking shooting up with EPO). He told me about his idol, the Serbian road race champion Ivan Stevic, who I had seen at the Tour of California the previous year. I told him about collegiate mountain bike racing. Here I was pedaling through the green hills of BiH next to an 18 year old Bosnian pro cyclist. Coincidence? Maybe. But I have stopped considering the seemingly coincidental places and people that my pedal strokes have shown me. I just hold on for the ride.