Record-breaking, unique, groundbreaking. Last year's Czech Tour has earned itself a bunch of superlatives. And cycling fans' memories are filled not only with the unique battles on the roads of the most significant domestic stage race, but also with a number of other moments. We've selected ten of the most interesting ones for you.
Record Number of Elite Teams
At the start of the 2023 Czech Tour, three teams with the highest WorldTour license lined up. And the goal of race director Leopold König for last year was to increase their number to five. However, due to a combination of circumstances, the number of teams that regularly start at the biggest races on the planet eventually rose to eight! "In our category (UCI 2.1), we are probably one of the best races for teams with a WorldTour license. We have their trust, which I greatly appreciate," commented the race director with satisfaction about the packed start list, which included teams such as UAE Team Emirates, Bahrain Victorious, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Soudal Quick-Step, Visma - Lease a Bike, Ineos Grenadiers, Intermarché Wanty, and dsm-firmenich PostNL.
Stars at the Start
The gigantic participation of the biggest teams was, as expected, a guarantee of an exceptional peloton composition. The main icon was the two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe alongside the other Grand Tour stage winners Kasper Asgreen, Diego Ulissi, Marc Hirschi, Maximilian Schachmann, Cesare Benedetti, Juan Sebastián Molano, and Dario Cataldo, who has an incredible twenty-five Grand Tours to his name. Among the Czech representatives, Giro stage winner Josef Černý and talented Pavel Bittner were not missing.
Exceptional Trophy
Unique events traditionally reward winners with unique trophies. And the Czech Tour has followed the same path. The main trophy is an imaginative crystal made of citrine glass, weighing eight kilograms and about 36 centimeters high, with a base in the shape of the Czech Republic, designed by architect and jeweler Oldřich Sládek. The partial trophies for the winners of each of the four stages correspond to a quarter of the main trophy. "It's great when the trophy is connected to the race in such a way that it's immediately clear where the rider got it. I think this is the case with the Czech Tour trophy," noted Leopold König when presenting the original artifact.
Grand Opening in Olomouc
Following the example of the Tour de France and other Grand Tour events, fans were able to meet all the riders in a festive parade of all the teams in the center of Olomouc on the eve of the opening stage. "This non-racing moment is paradoxically the top moment of the entire race for me. That's where it all began. We didn't expect it to have such a big impact. At that moment, we realized that the fans' interest was different than in previous years," reflected Leopold König on one of the novelties.
First Time Live TV coverage
Another novelty of last year's edition made the Czech Tour a truly global affair. For the first time, every stage was broadcast live, and the television signal was distributed to 190 countries via 52 stations. "The broadcast was the true game changer. Without it, you're invisible," noted Leopold König.
Peloton in New Places
The organizers of the Czech Tour strive to bring a unique cycling spectacle to new places and cities. This was also the case in last year's edition, when the peloton visited Zlín and Ostrava, among other places.
Exceptional Atmosphere
As already mentioned, the grand opening of the Czech Tour in Olomouc was a breakthrough moment for the race. And the unprecedented interest of the spectators then moved to the start and finish towns and also directly to the roads, where the riders were accompanied by an almost frenetic atmosphere. "We experienced an atmosphere like never before. Never before has a race been held in front of such a large audience," Leopold König paid tribute to all the spectators.
Sensational Finish
One of the unforgettable moments took place at the very end of the Czech Tour in Šternberk. The two biggest stars of the peloton, Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi, fought tooth and nail for the stage victory in the finish. The French rider eventually triumphed, while his Swiss rival could enjoy the overall victory. "The view of the final podium in Šternberk was incredible, and I appreciate that the leaders came in full fitness and fully prepared," recalled Leopold König about the successful conclusion.
Polka-Dot-Jersey Stayed at Home
The king of the mountains competition at the Czech Tour had a sensational winner. The polka-dot-jersey was taken home by Michal Schuran, a 28-year-old rider from the ATT Investments team. In the competition against representatives of eight teams with WorldTour licenses and other representatives of excellent cyclists belonging to the UCI Pro division, it was an exceptional success.
Bittner fulfilled his dream at the Vuelta
Just a few centimeters were missing for Pavel Bittner to fulfill his dream of his first professional victory at the Czech Tour. The Czech rider of the dsm-firmenich PostNL team finished second in the bunch sprint of the opening stage in Ostrava. The life-changing triumph came just a month later when the young Czech became the king of the finish of the fifth stage of the Spanish Vuelta.
This Year in a New Term
For the organizing team led by Leopold König, last year's Czech Tour was exceptional in every way. And the organizers intend to keep the bar high this year as well. Fans can look forward to a number of new features including new routes, start and finish towns, and a rich supporting program. And the Czech Tour also has a new date, it will be held from August 14 to 17, 2025. "We carefully selected the date to suit the elite teams who will be preparing for the Vuelta. We believe that this will once again allow us to attract great teams and stars of the world peloton, including Czech ones," added Leopold König.
Foto: Jan Brychta, Markéta Navrátilová, Lukáš Wagneter
