News 2005

News 2005/04

20. August, no Races
This morning I received e-mail from my team manager in wich he told me that our team will not take part in the races in Belgium and Holland from 20. - 24. August. Therefore my next race will be the GP Jef Scherens in Belgium on 4. September. I am not happy with this break in my racing activity, I would have liked to continue racing right through to the end of the season. This will give me time to think about my future.
14. August, Regio Tour - Stage 5
My wish to get in to a breakaway group was not fullfilled, but I still got a good result in the end....
Once again there were lots of attacks in the first part of the stage. I was in several groups but none of them got away very far. Then 5 riders broke away and it looked like they were going to get away further, so I rode up to them by myself. But the team of the leader made a lot of pace and closed the gap to our group. Then there was an attack of three riders, and nobody chased them. I was unable to go with them at that time. The next phase of the stage was quiet, until we reached the final circuit where we had to do 6 laps with a climb over the "Texaspass". With every lap the peleton got smaller and in the end there was only a small group left. There were now 5 riders in the leading group. They made out the win of the stage just in front of us. We had nearly caught them. I finished fourth in our group and got therefore a 9th place in the stage.
13. August, Regio Tour - Stage 4
For todays hill timetrail I had no ambitions. There was nothing to gain for me at all. I rode the course with a 1000m climb in altitude up to the Kandel in a good rhytm. Without hurting myself.
Tomorrow I will try again to get in to a breakaway.
12. August, Regio Tour - Stage 3
There were attacks right from the start, and I was amongst them as well. After about 15 km I was in a small break wich got away. Unfortunately we did not work together well enough, and we soon got caught by the peleton. Then straight away the next group attacked, and that one got away. So I had an easy day in the peleton, until we got close to the finish. Then we raced at full power.
First we had to catch the group wich escaped earlier and then we all had to help Jan Svorada in the mass sprint. It started to rain, but no problem for Jan. He won the stage convincingly. I still managed to get a good 9th place.
11. August, Regio Tour - Stage 2
The profile of todays stage was very difficult. If we did not ride uphill, then we were descending to the bottom of the next climb. The route took us through small villages with narrow roads and corners. I didn't feel good in the first part of the stage. I was glad when a small group went off the front, then the pace of the peleton settled down a bit. I tried to use small gears to loosen up my legs and to preserve energy.
Then towards the end I felt good. I was right at the front over the last three climbs, but most of the peleton stayed together. Svorada won the sprint of the main group and got 8th place.
10. August, Regio Tour - Stage 1
In Germany are Tours mostly decided on the first day, when a group gets away and gains sufficient time on the peleton. So I wanted to be in that importend break at all cost. Whenever there was an attack, I went with them. Unfortunately today was an exception, nobody got away, and we had a mass sprint. Jan Svorada got a top result with his second place.
7. August, Giro Bochum
The first part of the race went well for me. A group of about 20 riders broke away towards the end of the first of 12 laps. Martin Mares and myself were in that group. We were gaining time on the peleton, but in the second lap the tyre on my backwheel blew up with a loud noise. Shit! I am in a good breakaway, and now have a flat tyre. I got a new wheel from the neutral car, but by the time we had changed it, the peleton raced past me already. Then I discovered thet the wheel was not fitted straight, the brakes were touching on one side. Now the mechanic from my team had to set up the brake, out of the teams car, while we were behind the peleton. Exactly during that time another 20 riders went of the front to join the leading group. All the teams had at least one rider in the break, now everybody sat up and took it easy in the peleton.
I was very frustrated! I was in the right break, I liked the circuit arround the city, and there were a lot of good riders in the race. But in the end I stood there empty handed. A race to forget!!
24. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 9
The first win in a tour for our team is perfect. But today was once more much more difficult then we imagined.
Even in the last stage there were attacks right from the start. We had to chase down many groups because some of the top ten riders tried to get away. After about 50 km, a group of 3 riders wich were not dangerous to us escaped. Then everything settled down, and we rode a comfortable pace. They soon gained time on us. At the only climb a few more riders attacked, but we had everything under controll. The atmosphere at the side of the road was once more gigantic. The police had a lot of work to do to hold back the spectators in the area where the stage ended. At the end of the winners presentation there were so many people on the stage, the police ordered us to come down as fast as possible, because they thought the stage was going to collapse.
A big compliment to Martin Mares. He did not show any weakness during the 9 stages and deserves to be the winner.
23. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 8
I think we have made it. This win in the overall classification, we will not give it away anymore tomorrow. Today we were lucky, we had the Gods on our side.
The stage was for the first 20 km flat, then we had to climb 3 mountains and the last 50 km flat again. Shortly after the start about 15 riders escaped, amongst them were three wich were placed in the top ten. We couldn't close the gap, and when we reached the first climb a few more riders wich were even more dangerous attacked, to get to the leading group. Then another 3 riders from the top ten, one of them was in third place in the overall classification, got away and made it to the front group. Mares missed this train. I was the only one left from our team on top of the climb. By that time there were only about 10 riders left in our group. I gave everything I had. I saw my teammate Jindrich a bit further back. I slowed down the pace a bit, to make it easier for him to close the gap. When he reached our group, the two of us gave everything we had left in our legs. When we got to the last climb, the teamcars wich were behind the leading group got closer and closer. One more final long turn of pace from the two of us, until we had nothing left anymore. Then we had to let them go. Martin was on his own. In the climb he couldn't close the gap to the leaders. But he was lucky, because nobody else could get to the leading group as well. Because the riders in the leading group were not really united, the time gap was not big enough to challenge Martins lead.
I waited for the next group behind me, and rode with them to the finish. Tomorrow I would like to do well once more. This would then be my longest tour I have ever ridden.
22. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 7
One more day on wich we were able to defend the leaders yellow jersey is behind us. The first part of the stage was hectic, until a group of four riders got away. Then my teammates together with the team from Poland made the pace of the peleton. I had orders to hold back at that stage, to save energy. I needed to stay with Martin as long as possible during the last part of todays stage, to help him. Towards the end, in the climb up to the only mountain we had today, there were again lots of attacks. Nobody really got away, but a lot of riders lost contact with our group. Amongst them all of my teammates. During the last 35 km two riders from the polish team and myself worked hard to keep the pace high. We didn't want to get the 4 leaders get away too far, after all one of them was placed 11th in the overall classification.
I think the tour will be decided in tomorrows stage.

After the race we had a transfer back to the hotel with the team cars, wich lasted about 2 hours. The journey took as along narrow roads and steep mountaincliffs. And again there were hunderts of thousends of people lining the road and cheering us on.
21. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 6
The profile of todays stage was special. The first 20 km flat, then a climb of about 40 km and the last 50 km all downhill.
In the flat part of the stage we were able to controll the bunch. But then in the climb there was attack after attack. My teammates and myself were all a bit tired because of all the hard work we had to do during the past few days to defend the yellow jersey. Our team soon broke apart. We could not make the pace fast enough. I stayed about 3/4 of the climb with Mares. When the next attack came I couldn't follow anymore. Thank God Martin was strong enough to counter all the attacks on his lead in the overall classification. I hope to have a better day tomorrow, so Martin will not be so isolated.
20. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 5
As expected it rained and the temperature was below 10 degrees. The organizers were very sensible and cancelled the decend from the highest mountain to the finish. Therefore the finish of the stage was after 128 km, on top of a mountain with slight snowfall at an altitude of 3850 m above sealevel. As a favour to the organizers and all the spectators wich were waiting, we did the last 10 km to the original finish of the stage neutralized on our bikes.
After my strong ride yesterday, I had orders to try and stay with Martin as long as possible. The first attack was at the start of the climb with about 20 km to go, and I was able to go with them. Then I made the pace for the next 10 km. When the next attacks came I was finished and had to let them go. But the group was already reduced to only about 20 riders at that time, and it was not too difficult for Martin to remain in controll. He finished the stage in a strong third position and was able to increase his lead in the overall classification. So our teamwork paid off.
Now we have three more very hard stages to go and we will do everything to support Martin.
19. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 4
Wind, rain and only 9 degrees celsius were with us during todays stage. We tried to controll the peleton and protect the leader Martin Mares. In the strong crosswind the bunch got soon smaller and smaller. The cold and rainy conditions were very hard to endure. I was wearing long wintergloves but still had hardly any feeling left in my fingers. The team mechanic had to help me to get some food out of my pocket and open it for me. My whole body was shaking.
Because of the though weather conditions and the hard work controlling the bunch, our team was also reduced. At the second last climb I was the only teammate left with Martin. The fact that I had done a lot of work during the stage already, and still managed to get over the last mountain together with Martin made me very proud. So I was able to continue to help him. But then I also got weaker and about 15 km from the finish we had to let a small group of riders go. I gave everything to make sure that they would not gain too much time on us and now Martin is still wearing the yellow jersey.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is unfortunately rain again, and on top of the highest mountain - 5 degrees celsius!
A lot of hard work is waiting for us....
18. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 3
Todays stage was only 120 km long, but with an average speed of over 50 km/h extremly fast. Along the lake the bunch broke up in small groups because of the strong crosswind. At the intermediate sprint for time bonus the peleton was together. Our aim was to help Martin to win the sprint, so he could make up time and become leader in the overall classification. We made the pace united as a team and Martin won the sprint and therefore got a time bonus. It got even better: as the peleton got broken up again because of the crosswind, Martin was in the leading group and the yellow jersey was in the second group. I had to let go in the crosswind and finished the stage in the gruppetto.
Slowly I am getting used to racing at the high altitude. We will have a lot of hard work to do tomorrow to defend Martin's leader jersey, but I am sure it will be worth it.
17. Juli, Tour of Qinghai Lake - Stage 2
During the first part of the race there were a lot of attacks. I managed to get away from the peleton with a small group, but the escape didn't last too long and we got caught. At the 60 km mark the real break went. Martin Mares from our team was with them. This was perfect, because yesterday Martin finished the stage in the leading group already. As we reached the altitude of over 3000 m it was like a virus that got over the peleton. The pace was not fast, but rider after rider went to the side of the road and stoped. It was my turn about 3 km from the top of the mountain. There is very little oxygen in the air up here. So I finished the stage in the second group. Martin was with the leaders. Now he is in a fantastic second place in the overall classification with only 1 second behind the leader. We will try to defend his place....