Sazka Tour
Race details
RegionCzech Republic
DisciplineRoad race
CompetitionUCI Europe Tour
TypeStage race
Web sitewww.czechtour.com
History
First edition2010 (2010)
Editions14 (as of 2023)
First winner Leopold König (CZE)
Most wins Leopold König (CZE) (2 wins)
Most recent Florian Lipowitz (GER)

The Czech Cycling Tour is the largest stage race for professional cyclists in the Czech Republic. It was first held in 2009. The most successful cyclist in the race's short history is Leopold König with two triumphs. He is also now the race director.

From 2011, the race was run as part of the second division with the designation UCI Europe Tour 2.2; since 2015, the Czech Tour has been ranked a category higher as one of the races of the UCI Europe Tour 2.1 series.

The Czech Tour takes place in the Olomouc, Moravian-Silesian and Pardubice regions. Stage routes lead through the attractive scenery of the Jeseníky and Beskydy Mountains. The peloton riders often fight for position during the tough climbs on Dlouhé Stráně, Červenohorské sedlo and Pustevny. Traditionally, the Czech Tour concludes in Šternberk.

In 2021, Sazka became the main partner of the race, and this also marked a change in the profile of the race from moderate to predominantly mountainous. During the four stages of the Czech Tour 2023, cyclists will ride 663.1 kilometres and climb 11,203 meters. Due to its position in the calendar, the Czech Tour is perceived as a great test for cyclists who are preparing for the Vuelta – the final Grand Tour of the season.

For Czech fans, it is always an exceptional opportunity to see the cream of world cycling. In the past, World Tour teams such as Intermarché-Wanty Gobert, Mitchelton Scott and Deceuninck Quick Step have competed. For the 2023 edition, the teams Bora hansgrohe, whose roster includes Sam Bennet, who triumphed in the points competition at the Tour de France, and Jumbo Visma, which includes Jonas Vingegaard, the winner of the Tour de France 2022, have confirmed their participation.

In the past, Primož Roglič, three-time winner of the Vuelta, Julian Alaphilippe, two-time world champion, and Simon Yates, also a winner of the Vuelta, have ridden the Czech roads.

"We are demonstrating to the world that we can host great cycling events in the Czech Republic. We are building something like the family silverware. Just look at the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Pologne and other races. Our motivation is to keep moving the Czech Tour forward to build a renowned race," says Leopold König, former elite cyclist and now race director, who invited Robert Hunter to join the organizing team for the 2023 season as part of efforts to increase the safety of the Czech Tour and the U23 Peace Race. A participant in seventeen Grand Tours, he can boast stage wins on the Tour de France and the Spanish Vuelta, and is responsible for safety during the Tour de Suisse.

Winners

Year Country Rider Team
2010  Czech Republic Leopold König PSK Whirlpool–Author
2011  Czech Republic Stanislav Kozubek PSK Whirlpool–Author
2012  Czech Republic František Padour Whirlpool–Author
2013  Czech Republic Leopold König NetApp–Endura
2014  Denmark Martin Mortensen Cult Energy–Vital Water
2015  Czech Republic Petr Vakoč Etixx–Quick-Step
2016  Italy Diego Ulissi Lampre–Merida
2017  Czech Republic Josef Černý Elkov–Author
2018  Austria Riccardo Zoidl Team Felbermayr–Simplon Wels
2019  South Africa Daryl Impey Mitchelton–Scott
2020  Australia Damien Howson Mitchelton–Scott
2021  Italy Filippo Zana Bardiani–CSF–Faizanè
2022[1]  Italy Lorenzo Rota Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux
2023  Germany Florian Lipowitz Bora–Hansgrohe

References

  1. "UCI World Tour Promotion and Relegation Weekly". The Inner Ring. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023. Elsewhere Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert keep winning, this time Lorenzo Rota took the Sazka Tour (Sazka is the Czech lottery, now you know) and they're Belgian's [sic] top team this season [...]
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