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The preparatory - winter season was dependent on the 2021 racing calendar of the Kilpi partnership with the largest mountain bike series Bike for Life, who outlined the path that the 2021 racing season will take. And so the preparation and composition of the races was not directed towards a specific "race of the season", but towards a stable performance throughout the season and on the overall placement in the series and efforts to improve from fourth place in 2020.
Route C - a race with a length of 30 - 40 km, which can be defined by its fast starts and the course as a "flight day", where there is no room for error or hesitation and any resulting shortfall is hard to catch up on.
Due to Covid measures, the calendar of the Bike for Life series dated the introductory race on April 22, 2021 - AGROTEC Tour ŠKODA AUTO Hustopeče. This race took place in an individual form - a time trial, the results of which were not part of the series ranking. It was a kind of test of racing performance and for most of them the first contact with racing kilometres in 2021. An appropriate dose of caution and balance in determining the pace was enough for third place in category and sixth overall.
The following races have already taken place under "normal" conditions and in the usual form with mass starts:
- 19.6. Rabbit MTB Tour CARDION - 2nd place in category, 5th place overall
- 26.6. Bike Marathon Drásal České spořitelny - 2nd placein category, 3rd place overall
- 17.7. Trans Brdy with 211 - 1st place in category, 10th place overall
- 24.7. Bike Marathon Beroun Cooperative - 3rd place in category, 19th place overall
- 31.7. Šumava MTB marathon STRABAG - DNF - defect
- 7.8. NOVA Vysočina Arena Tour - 5th place in category, 22nd place overall
- 21.8. Manitou Iron Mountains CARDION - DNF - defect
- 4.9. Znojmo Burčák Tour of Česká spořitelna - 2nd place in category, 8th place overall
- 11.9. Plzeňská MTB 50 - 2nd place in category, 7th place overall
- 18.9. Mladá Boleslav Tour Škoda Auto - 1st place in category, 9th place overall
- 25.9. Oderská Mlýnice Lesy (Forest) ČR - 5th place in category, 27th place overall
- 2.10. Ralsko MTB Tour Škoda Auto - 13th place in category, 42nd place overall
Speaking about the numbers of the Bike for Life 2021 series:
13starts completed from14races
Eight opportunities to taste success on the podium - 2x - 1st place, 4x - 2nd place, 2x - 3rd place
500racing kilometres completed
10,000 kilometres behind the wheel
These numbers resulted in a final ranking in the Bike for Life series of 2nd place in category, with a loss of 0.3 points to reach gold, which means one position in the absolute ranking overall in any of the races evaluated.
In conclusion, before the introductory race of the series, I would take my final ranking in the so-called "all ten", however, I will probably be eternally dissatisfied with humility in self-evaluation, two great starts - unfinished at key races at Šumava and Iron Mountain as it was frozen, but the mistakes that came in my direction are simply part of the sport.
In the last races of the series, I was already "treading water" and I had fatigue after a total of 23 races of the season, including other races in the Czech Republic and Slovakia with participation on the podium evident.
In conclusion, I would like to thank my relatives and fans, organisers of all sporting events, rivals and sports friends for unforgettable experiences and especially for support from Kilpi and the opportunity to be a brand ambassador and part of the Kilpi Racing Team for four years, because without this support, my experiences would not have this format.
Petr Hvolka
