Nove Mesto – where it all counts

30 May

Better said, where mountainbike feels like home. The World Cup is held in Nove Mesto for 8 years (if I remember right) and it’s like a good wine. It gets better every year. More spectators, fine shaped course, the infrastructure set up just right, if you ask me, this is my favorite course and race of all time. Period.

I was lucky to have our Romanian Federation support with the registration for the race and then fun begun. There were more Romanians at the event, including four juniors and Vlad Dascalu, which won again at U23. Amazing performance. I was the only one in Men Elite, which if you ask me, it’s a pity because this is by far the most accessible World Cup for someone from Romania. Arrived there with Ionut, with a Dacia Duster from Raul Turism, a great rent-a-car (or van, or camper) company in Cluj. Everything went according to the plan: training, resting, eating. I even was lucky to meet Traian Olinici who took some great photos both in training session and race. Andi, the chief mechanic from Cannondale Factory Racing put some magic into my lefty Ocho and made it more progressive, ideal for this track Ionut raced on Saturday at the Night Race finishing around 34 or so but I stated to think about my race and I though that the rain will put us on trouble.

But it wasn’t so and as I’ve remembered everything dried up. As the hours were passing I started to feel more nervous and excited in the same time like this was my first World Cup, even though I can say that now I have a certain experience. Everything started according to the plan. I was feeling good, I was faster than last year but it wasn’t simply enough. The field was so strong and I am not talking about the winners, all the riders were incredibly fast. At the start I had the last number, 166, finishing in the end on 125. I can not say that this is a performance but I have enjoyed every second on the course, especially that now I’ve found out I have a Czech fan club (how cool is this?). Another spectator told me that he cheered for me like I was Jaroslav Kulhavy. I can’t thank them enough for cheering me like I was one of their own.

As I said: this is my favorite World Cup and I hope that I will have a chance to come back again next year too. Many thanks to my family and sponsors for all the suport, to Ionut for the safe drive and Raul for the car.

See ya all at the next races, in Romania and who know, maybe all over the world. Cheers, Vlad

Foto credit: Traian Olinici, Armin Kuestenbruek, Max Fuchs (Ego-Promotion)

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