Her First Victories Beyond Slovenia

Tajda's cycling journey crossed Slovenia's borders at an early age. As a young girl, she competed in numerous races in Croatia, Austria and Italy, where she also achieved victories.

Her family accompanied her to competitions. Long journeys, preparing the bike, waiting at the finish line and cheering from the side of the course gradually became part of our everyday lives. We travelled countless kilometres so that she could compete and follow her sporting dreams.

Whenever they were on the road, my thoughts were often with them. I would imagine Tajda out on the course, eagerly waiting for news from the race.

Those kilometres were more than just journeys to race venues. They became part of a shared family story that we have been writing for ten years. Tajda was the one racing, but her family was always there behind her.

Croatia 2017: 6 years old in a race

Ten Years of Dedication and Sporting Development

Over the past ten years, I have had the privilege of witnessing the most important milestones in her sporting development. From her first children's races, victories and disappointments to increasingly demanding competitions, where she had to demonstrate ever-greater technical skills, courage and determination.

A sporting journey is not made up of podium moments alone. It is built through training, hard work, defeats and, above all, the ability to get back on the bike after difficult moments.

Alongside cycling, Tajda attends Gimnazija Šiška in Ljubljana, balancing her school responsibilities with training and competitions. This requires a great deal of time, discipline and sacrifice. Despite her demanding schedule, she also makes time for friends, socialising and relaxation. She enjoys hiking in the mountains, where she can appreciate nature, take a break from everyday responsibilities and recharge her energy.

It is important that, alongside her sporting ambitions, she remains committed to her education while enjoying her teenage years and all the special moments that come with growing up.

It is wonderful to see how much she has changed over the years. Cycling has gradually become much more than a game – it has become an important part of her life. She has developed confidence, competitiveness and responsibility, learning that success requires much more than talent alone.

From Slovenian Trails to International Competitions

Step by step, Tajda progressed from domestic competitions to the international stage. She has competed at the European Championships in Sweden and Romania, as well as at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje.

At international competitions, she has achieved results among the top 15 riders, an important confirmation of her progress and competitiveness against strong international opposition.

These experiences gave her the opportunity to discover the level of competition among the best young mountain bikers. Different courses, challenging terrain and strong competition demand adaptability, confidence and concentration.

Every international appearance represents another important step in her development and preparation for future challenges.

The 2026 Season – A Historic Milestone

The year 2026 holds a special place in her sporting story. This season, she achieved one of the greatest accomplishments of her career so far: winning all three Slovenian national mountain bike championship titles in XCE, XCC and XCO.

With this achievement, she became the first Slovenian female mountain biker to win all three national championship titles in these disciplines in a single season.

Her successful season did not end with the national championships. She also secured the overall Slovenian SloXcup series title once again, confirming her consistency and success throughout the entire competitive season.

Her achievements to date speak for themselves:

- 17 Slovenian national championship titles

- 92 race victories

- 121 podium finishes

Behind these numbers are ten years of dedication, countless hours of training and an enormous amount of hard work that spectators rarely get to see.

Family – The Team Behind Her Success

Behind every young athlete's success stands a family providing constant support. Mountain biking requires organisation, time, flexibility and commitment. In Tajda's case, her family has been an indispensable part of her ten-year sporting journey from the very beginning.

Every family member has a role to play. Her father, Marko, takes care of the technical side of cycling, particularly bike servicing, maintenance and preparation. Her mother, Tjaša, handles much of the logistics, travel arrangements and nutrition.

A special place in the family team belongs to her six-year-old younger brother, Timi. His task may seem simple, but it is no less important – cheering for his big sister. His youthful enthusiasm brings extra joy to every competition.

I, too, have been part of this story for ten years, proudly following her sporting development.

Tajda is the one who races, but behind her stands a small family team in which everyone has a role – from preparing the bike and organising journeys to nutrition and encouragement.

2018: With her mother Tjaša

Growing Up, Overcoming Challenges and Opening New Chapters

Over these ten years, Tajda has developed not only as a cyclist but also as a person. She has learned to accept victories and defeats, cope with pressure and keep going even when things do not go according to plan.

It is in these moments that I see how much she is growing and maturing. I believe that after every disappointment, she will come back even stronger. I am immensely proud of her victories, but perhaps even more proud of her ability to find the strength to get back on the bike after difficult moments.

Tajda with her grandfather, and author of the article, Boštjan Meglič

Dreams of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

Tajda's achievements are increasingly attracting attention beyond Slovenia's borders. Her story and results have caught the interest of specialised mountain biking media in different parts of the world, from Central Europe to Spain, Russia, China and even the distant Philippines.

For a young Slovenian cyclist, this is wonderful recognition and an opportunity for her story to reach a much wider international mountain biking audience.

A new and important chapter lies ahead. Her transition to the U19 category will bring new competitive challenges, stronger opposition and different demands. It will be a period in which she will need to continue developing, gaining experience and gradually building her path towards the highest levels of international competition.

Her ambitions are high. She dreams of competing in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, establishing herself among the best young female mountain bikers and one day earning a place among the international MTB elite. One of her great ambitions is also to have the opportunity to become part of a professional environment and a team such as a Factory Team.

I know that there is still a long road ahead. Dreams must be built step by step, through hard work, patience and the right opportunities. Talent and her achievements so far provide an important foundation, but further development will also require the right conditions, professional support and opportunities to compete at international level.

Tajda racing in stormn - Kočevje 2026

Perhaps the Most Beautiful Chapter of Her Story Is Still Ahead

When I think back to the little girl who first rode a balance bike and then began her competitive journey at the age of six, racing in Kamnik, it is hard to believe just how far she has come.

Ten years of competition, countless kilometres, numerous achievements, difficult moments and so many wonderful memories. All of this has become part of a story that Tajda is still writing.

As her grandfather, I do not want her future to be defined by results alone. Above all, I want her to continue enjoying cycling, believing in herself and having the opportunity to show what she can do at the biggest international competitions.

What began as childhood play has grown into a remarkable sporting story. Although Tajda has already completed ten years of competitive mountain biking, I have the feeling that many unwritten pages still lie ahead.

Perhaps the most beautiful chapter of her cycling story is only just beginning

Boštjan, Tajda’s grandpa

Four stories that say more than a thousand words

1. A Victory That Even a Broken Derailleur Could Not Stop

One of my most unforgettable memories comes from an XCO race in Kamnik in 2024.

After the second lap, Tajda was leading the race. But during the third lap, she suddenly disappeared from sight. Meanwhile, the rider who had been in second place crossed the finish line.

At that moment, I was overcome by fear that Tajda might have crashed.

And then I saw her.

Her derailleur was broken, but she refused to give up. She ran alongside her bike for more than a kilometre, fighting all the way to the finish line and still winning the race by a considerable margin despite the mechanical failure.

What I remember most, however, are her eyes as she crossed the finish line. I could see tears of exhaustion, disappointment and extraordinary determination.

At that moment, I was not simply looking at a young cyclist who had won a race. I was looking at a true fighter who refuses to give up, even when everything seems lost.

The bike let her down, but she never let the race down.

2. Defeats Are Part of the Journey Towards Becoming a Champion

There were moments when Tajda did not return from a race with a smile. Sometimes, after crossing the finish line, she would walk straight into the team tent, alone with her thoughts and disappointment.

I knew that she needed time in those moments. I never pressured her to talk or immediately told her that things would be better next time. I simply allowed her to experience the moment in her own way.

As her grandfather, I often reminded myself that Tajda is truly alone out on the course.

She enters the first corner alone, tackles the climbs alone and fights her way through the final metres of the race alone.

We can stand beside the course, cheer and encourage her, but the hardest moments belong to her.

That is precisely why defeats are such an important part of her journey. They teach her patience, inner strength and perseverance.

A true athlete's strength is measured not only by how they celebrate victory, but also by how they get back up after defeat.

And that is something I am especially proud of.

3. When the Sun Finally Came Out in Kočevje – An XCO 2026 Race Story

Kočevje, XCO 2026. A race full of twists and turns, with a waterlogged course and mud everywhere.

During the race, Tajda was caught in a storm with hail. Tiny balls of ice relentlessly struck her face. I watched helplessly from beside the course, clenching my fists and hoping she would make it through.

During the final lap, the weather finally began to settle. The storm passed, the sun came out and its rays illuminated both the course and Tajda's face.

After all the mud, cold and hail, that moment felt truly special. It was almost as if nature itself was rewarding her perseverance.

After the storm, the sun finally came out in Kočevje – and so did the sunshine on Tajda's face.

4. "Grandpa, Everything Hurts…"

"Grandpa, everything hurts..."

Those were the words I heard from Tajda more than once after a cross-country Olympic race.

Once, at one of the competitions, I asked her younger brother Timi whether he would become a cyclist too. His answer made me laugh:

"No, Grandpa, I don't want to be as exhausted as Tajda!"

It was a simple and honest response from a child, but it said a lot. Even at that young age, Timi could see just how much effort, exhaustion and sacrifice his sister's sport demanded.

Behind every victory lies a story that spectators standing beside the course never get to see.