23. 8. 2010 - MTB marathon Around Broumov

Year zero of the 60 km mountain bike half-marathon Around Broumov took place in sunny weather in Hejtmankovice. The first part of the race led below the Broumov Walls from Krinice to Bozanov where the direction changed and the race started heading towards the Javori Mountains (border range with Poland) via Otovice. The course led along this mountain range to Janovicky where the track again started to slowly turn via Ruprechtice towards the finish in Hejtmankovice.

The race was intended both for individuals and for three-member relays from the Broumov region. Petr Sulzbacher (GIANT Pitrs bikes) was the absolute winner at 2:15:05 ahead of Vena Hornych (Sportchallenge) and Zdenek Cerny (ZTRADE Cykloteam BROUMOV).

Our team was represented by Tomas Tichy who failed to finish the race because of a fall during one of the descents. “It was all about tactics and jostling after the start, when the first shorter ascent started I managed to “tear-up” the leading group in which 5 racers remained. However, a more technically demanding ascent followed, which I started too fast and I was no longer able to correct my speed. I came to fight for a podium place so I consider this a failure, but I am happy that nothing serious happened to me – it could have been much worse.”

17. 8. 2010 - The Dobruska Cup – road time trial to the Praza Chalet

The Dobruska Cup is slowly reaching its end. The 10th race took place on Sunday 15 August, which was the time trial to the Prazovka. Lukas Cap (Cyklo Tony Broumov) was the best to deal with a 13-kilometer ascent and unfavourable conditions, managing the ascent in 27:50, followed by Martin Splitek from RockMachine Cyklomax 0:28:36 and Roman Stastny also RockMachine Cyklomax 0:28:41 in third place. This result before the last two races of the Dobruska Cup 2010 means that Martin Splitek has a virtual lead of a single point over Lukas Cap.

The I-Trenink Cycling Team was represented by Radek Benes who unfortunately did not deliver his standard performance and finished the race in 20th place and the new team member Monika Tuckova who won the women’s junior category.

Radek Benes: “I certainly have no reason to be satisfied with my result and ranking, although I didn’t expect a much better result due to other circumstances. The worst thing for me was that I was not able to cope with the strong gusty wind. But this was the same and fair for everyone."

16. 8. 2010 - Ceska sporitelna Kolo pro zivot (Bike for life) continued in Liberec

The Kooperativa Jested Tour in Liberec was already the 11th race of the largest series, Ceska sporitelna Kolo pro zivot (Bike for life). As has been the case for the past few weeks, the race took place in the rain on a muddy hilly course. Vaclav Jezek (Alpine Pro Author Team) came first on the 90 km course. His teammate Michal Plesnik was the second to arrive at the finish and Svatopluk Janecka (Volvo Auto Hase) took third place in Liberec.

Traditionally, a far stronger competition gathered together at the start of the 50 km option of the race and the peloton comprised 600 racers. Jan Hruska (Volvo Auto Hase) attacked by nobody else was the winner. Tomas Vokrouhlik managed second place, also on his own, and even Pavel Boudny (Ceska sporitelna – Specialized MTB Team) did not have to struggle for third place with anyone at the finish.

Our I-Trenink Cycling Team was successfully represented by Tomas Tichy on this course who arrived at the finish in 21st place in the overall rankings and in 5th place in his M19-29 category with a loss of 1.5 min on 3rd place!

“I am not at all satisfied with the result. I punctured my tyre at the Galaxy series last week and as it has not been available since June, I had to use another one with a smoother tread. I did not get myself together during the descents at all – it was a tragedy. If I had ridden as technically as at the Manitou in Chrudim or last week, I could have at least struggled for a podium ranking. However, there are no ifs in sports ...so perhaps next time.”

16. 8. 2010 - A photo gallery from the road race in Olesnice in the Eagle Mountains (The Dobruska Cup) has been created

A photo gallery from the royal stage of this year’s Dobruska Cup has been created - Enter the NutriProduct Road Race in Olesnice in the Eagle Mountains photo gallery

12. 8. 2010 - The Masters Extra League continued in Svijany

The race which is a part of the Masters Extra League series took place in Svijany again after a year’s break. Several tens of racers in various age categories took their place at the start where two representatives of our team Zdenek Bartos and Tomas Koutsky were also present. Zdenek arrived at the final spurt with no trouble but Daniel Treml was stronger and Zdenek managed a nice 2nd place. Martin Ritich (Exe Jeans) managed 3rd place. Tomas Koutsky fell back to the second group in his category in which he finished the race ranking 12th.

The guys have thus finished the series of consecutive races and they will be able to relax a bit. The nice circuit in Belec near Kladno should be their next race, which is also the last series of the Czech Cup races.

8. 8. 2010 - Podium rankings in the Galaxy series in Dobris

The Galaxy series continued with another race on Saturday 7 August, which was the TREK MTB marathon in Dobris near Pribram. Bad rainy weather awaited the racers, which – along with a difficult muddy course - made the race very difficult just like 14 days ago in Chrudim at the Manitou Iron Mountains. Vaclav Jezek (Alpine Pro - Author Team) won the main 85 km race ahead of Karel Hartl (Kellys Bike Ranch) and Kristian Hynek (S&H SUPERIOR UCI MTB TEAM).

Petr Stastny (HAKR Brno) was the winner on the short 56 km course ahead of Tomas Jakes (H.M.Sport C.Krumlov) and David Andrle (Uniqua Jihlava). Tomas Tichy, member of our I-Trenink Cycling Team arrived at the finish line in 4th place in the overall rankings, managing a nice 3rd place in his men 19-29 years of age category. Tomas managed another podium position for the team in this year’s season.

“Approx. 15-20 racers were riding in the first group at km 15, which quite surprised me. Then a hard muddy terrain with ascents full of roots came, which split the first group into individuals during the next 2 km. The course was more difficult than in Chrudim, but much to my surprise I have been riding quite well in terrain and particularly in the mud this year, so I liked the course. I was clearly no match for the first two but I am satisfied with my performance and the result.”

6. 8. 2010 - Czech Republic Masters Championship - Luze

A Czech Republic Masters Championship road race took place in several categories in the beautiful countryside near Kosumberk. The team was traditionally represented by Zdenek Bartos (M30) and Tomas Koutsky (M19). Zdenek considered this race another season peak for himself and thus he tried not to underestimate anything during preparation. A high speed was maintained from the start, which, however, the large peloton managed to cope with. Only after a series of attacks, did Zdenek manage to split the peloton quite significantly. However, this cost him a lot of strength which he lacked at the finish and therefore he could not beat his strong opponent from EXE JEANS on his own. Finally it was 7th place for Zdenek. Tomas managed 12th place in his category.

5. 8. 2010 - The Dobruska Cup continued with the royal mountain stage

The 9th race of the Dobruska cup 2010 – the Nutriport road race in Olesnice in the Eagle Mountains was scheduled on Sunday, 1 August. The race was almost 90 km long with over 1,500 high altitude meters leading from one side of the Eagle Mountains to the other and back. It was already the third year with an extended option leading from the square in Olesnice via the dreaded Serlich to Rokytnice and back through the renowned Luisa valley. The strongest competition in this year’s Dobruska Cup so far gathered at the start and promised a fast pace from the first kilometres on. Four racers, Martin Splitek, Lukas Cap, Michal Kanera and Pavel Petr broke away during the Serlich ascent and arrived at the finish of the race in the same order.

Apart from Martin Slezak our I-Trenink Cycling Team was also at the start comprising Zdenek Bartos, Tomas Koutsky, Tomas Tichy and Radek Benes. The tasks were set as follows. Zdenek and Tomas Koutsky had “carte blanche”, because they had already taken part in the main race of that weekend on Saturday – the Czech Republic Masters Championship in Luze. On the other hand, Tomas Tichy worked for Radek Benes, whose current overall position about 10th - 12th place in this year’s Dobruska cup is quite nice. This “job” consisted mainly in maintaining a stable pace in the section starting with the descent from Serlich via Bartosovice in the Eagle Mountains to the ascent towards the Luisa Valley. This section was approx. 1h 20min long and Tomas rode at 330 W and 304 W respectively, on average including the time without pedalling (show record). It is evident from the record that Tomas achieved a much higher power output riding downhill and in the flat than riding uphill, when riding in the slipstream is not so advantageous ...

Tomas Koutsky was the first of the team to arrive at the finish, this being in 13th place, then 26th for Zdenek Bartos, 35th for Radek Benes and right behind him, Tomas Tichy in 36th place. Radek Benes holds 12th place in the overall rankings of the Dobruska Cup after 9 completed competitions. The Cup will continue in 14 days with a mountain road time trial from Dobruska to Prazova bouda.

27. 7. 2010 - 19th race completed in the Masters Extra League

Almost ninety racers in various age categories took their place at the start on the course in Belec near Kladno in a very cold weather to cope with a 25 km time trial. The course profile was quite undulating and on top of this, an unpleasant wind was blowing.

The I-Trenink Cycling Team was represented by Zdenek Bartos and Tomas Koutsky. Zdenek clearly flew in for another victory at 34 min 31s and left his opponents behind by more than one minute. Tomas literally suffered in the youngest category showing a rather weak performance finishing in 6th place. A hard road circuit in Luze, where the Czech Republic Masters Championship takes place, awaits both our racers next weekend

26. 7. 2010 - MANITOU IRON MOUNTAINS SKODA AUTO MTB MARATHON

Chrudim hosted another part of the Ceska sporitelna Kolo pro zivot (bike for life) series on Saturday 24 July – the 14th year of Manitou Iron Mountains. The tropical weather of the previous weeks turned into rainy weather which made a “mud bath” of the race. Despite this fact, the weather did not influence the slightly weaker attendance much because more than 1,000 racers took their place at the start. The race was ridden on 2 courses again – 115 km and 50 km. Pavel Boudny (Ceska sporitelna - Specialized MTB team) was the best to cope with the longer course beating Petr Bencik (PSK Whirlpool-Author) in 2nd place and Martin Haman (Superior Riders) in 3rd place.

On the shorter course, where a much stronger competition gathered, Tomas Vokrouhlik (Factor Bike Team) was again the winner ahead of Vaclav Jezek (Alpine Pro - Author team) and Marek Rauchfuss (Scott cycling team). On this course, our I-Trenink Cycling Team was successfully represented by Tomas Tichy who finished the demanding race in a nice 28th place in overall rankings (6th place in the M19 category). Tomas for example beat such names as Vladimir Kyzivat (TJ AS JOHNSON CONTROLS), Robert Novotny (vice-champion of the Czech Republic) or Radek Becka (both Factor Bike Team) ...

Tomas’s assessment: “Despite the fact that I have been training a lot in the last few weeks (preparation for the second part of the season) I rode well and I am satisfied with the result. I believe that this result could help me in the upcoming races in August and September.”