Vakoč exchanged his road bike for a mountain bike and is preparing for Cape Epic
Former road professional Petr Vakoč will continue his career on mountain bikes. He has agreed to join the Canyon Northwave stable and is going to ride this year’s famous Cape Epic stage race, which will take place at the end of March in South Africa. The marathon company is to go with the experienced Kristian Hynek, who founded his own team three years ago.
Vakoc who last wore an Alpecin-Fenix jersey and completed the Giro d’Italia (2015) and the Tour de France twice during his career (2016 and 2021), ended his work on the road a little surprisingly after last season. Instead, one of the best Czech riders of recent years has jumped into another cycling industry, as he has wanted for a long time.
“I really enjoy biking and the idea of riding mountain bikes has occurred to me for many years, especially during the winter training, when I spent a lot of time on a mountain bike. He knew I would want to race on it again, like a youth. I’ve known Kristian for a very long time. Extremely important to me is how we sit humanly. The whole team has an absolutely great atmosphere, “said Vakoč at the team’s press conference in Prague.
Epic was a big dream, almost as big as the Tour de France. Even because I started on bikes. I always wanted to try these marathon races. Back in the year Kristian won Cape Epic (2014), we talked about what it all means, how it works and so on. And to go alongside someone who has won it in the past, to draw on his experience, is something amazing for me. I have always enjoyed learning new things, learning from the best and I will continue to do so, “said Vakoč.
Thanks to his arrival, the Canyon Northwave team will build two racing pairs for the first time. Vaccine and Hynek will be covered by the Germans Andreas Seewald and Martin Stošek, who rode Cape Epic last year with ambitions for the overall victory, but had to resign from the second place when the Czech biker was eliminated by health problems.
“We talked about it non-binding years ago and Petr mentioned that he would like to go to Cape Epic one day. At that time, it probably never occurred to any of us that his transition to the field was somehow topical, and something like that should happen. But by the middle of last year, we started talking about it a little more seriously, and now it’s here. I’m very curious about that. We were already at the first training camp together, Petr rode there on a bike and it was clear that he had a terrible desire to improve and work on his weaknesses, “said Hynek.
“It is clear that the biggest question is not performance at all, which is extraordinary, we all know that, but technology. However, Petr has the advantage of having a bike and cyclocross past from his childhood, so the transition may have been a little easier for him. Even so, he surprised me with his diligence and great determination. He was getting better every day and getting faster and faster. I’m really looking forward to it, “added Hynek.
First published