Injury cut short his Olympic dream. Now, the Czech Australian is hoping for a road career

A stress fracture in his ankle! And then a second one! His dream of competing in the Olympic Games in triathlon faded due to injury. But the desire to break into the sports elite remained. And so, Martin Kapr is now trying to make his way into the World Tour. "I actually started cycling a year and a half ago. On one hand, I’m old for today’s peloton, but on the other, I’m improving a lot because I’m just starting," says the 23-year-old, who was born in Australia but has Czech parents.

This is also why he had no problem communicating during Czech Tour, where he arrived in July with his teammates from the Australian Continental team, CCACHE Par Küp. A few weeks later, he almost celebrated a triumph at the Horské L'Etape Czech Republic in Prachatice, where he finished second, just seven seconds behind the winner.

Martin, at the Czech Tour, you stayed relatively hidden in the peloton, but at L'Etape in Prachatice, your 50-kilometre solo that nearly led to victory was impossible to ignore. How did you get involved in the races in the Czech Republic?

We were with my Australian team, CCACHE Par Küp, in Belgium for three months. We trained, raced. And at the end, we received an invitation to Czech Tour. Then all my teammates went home, and I couldn’t race UCI road events without the team. The sports director of Israel PremierTech, René Andrle, suggested that I try L'Etape due to its good organisation. So, I signed up just three days before the start.

Did the profile of the Horské L'Etape Czech Republic suit you?

I’m a climber, and I prefer longer climbs. The profile was perfect for me. There wasn’t a flat stretch, not even a meter. If there wasn’t a big climb, there was at least a small bump. By the end, I actually just wanted to be at the finish line. But I definitely prefer mountain profiles to flat ones. Also, I have relatives in Borová Lada in Šumava. Before the pandemic, I was there. But I didn’t know the route.

You were in a 50-kilometer solo breakaway and ended up second, just seven seconds behind. What was missing for the win in Prachatice?

I didn’t know anyone from the guys around me. The leaders were from the Lawi team and Integray L27. They kept attacking, one after the other. I knew it couldn’t last forever. On the climb to Kleť, I was at the front, but I wasn’t even attacking. At the top, I still had them in sight, but then I couldn’t see them at all. Once I had a gap, I was going full gas and kept looking over my shoulder. Then, on the climb to Rohanov to the finish, I heard the fans screaming. I looked back and saw Robert Hula, just 50 meters behind me. But my legs were completely empty by then.

Did you enjoy the race, which is primarily for amateur cyclists?

The atmosphere was amazing. Unbelievable. I didn’t expect crowds of people by the roadside. L’Etape races also take place in Australia, but definitely not with such fan support. I was also really impressed with the route. It was great. I stayed in Šumava and trained in the area—Horská Kvilda, Svojše… It was fantastic. Perfect roads, beautiful surroundings. The climbs are gorgeous.

How did you get into road cycling in Australia?

I’ve been into triathlon since I was young. Everything was heading toward the goal of making it to the Olympics one day. But after high school, I suffered a stress fracture in my ankle. And when I recovered, it happened again. I lost two years because of it, and it was a problematic injury for running. Also, after the Tokyo Olympics, Australian triathlon faced some external challenges, so I was actually glad to leave that environment behind.

And cycling was a logical choice?

Cycling was always my favorite part of triathlon. It was also my strongest discipline. So, about a year and a half ago, I decided to focus on road cycling. I found a coach and took everything very seriously. Before the start of this season, I joined an Australian continental team. However, I wouldn't dare call myself a professional racer. I’ve only done four UCI races, and I don’t have much experience.

Can you describe how a continental team works in Australia?

It’s completely different compared to a team of the same level in the Czech Republic. We have just one sports director. We race the most in Asia, which is attractive for our sponsors. I also have to make a living outside of cycling. Luckily, I have a job that allows me to chase my dream of a professional contract. I studied data analytics and web applications at university in Sydney, which allows me to work remotely. That’s been a blessing because I had to fund my whole stay in Europe myself. It’s important for me to have this kind of job, but my focus is mainly on cycling.

Do you think it's realistic to break into the professional peloton at the age of 23?

I believe it is possible. I realize I have a significant disadvantage because I’m 23, and everyone today wants young riders. But my advantage is that I’ve only been focusing on road cycling for a year and a half, so I’m making huge progress. I’m improving really fast.

Did you see the races in Europe as an opportunity to showcase your skills and increase your chances of finding a future contract?

Definitely. But I crashed in Belgium during my first race in the spring and broke my arm. I couldn’t train outdoors for four weeks, only on the trainer. That’s why my results at the Czech Tour weren’t as good as expected. However, by the time of L'Etape, I was in pretty good shape. I stayed in Europe to extend my season as much as possible. I did UCI gravel races in Italy and Switzerland. Gravel racing is nice because it takes place in beautiful surroundings. And most importantly, I can race without a team. I need to log as many miles as possible because I’d like to secure a spot on a continental team in Europe for next season. That’s what every Australian rider wants. There are many more quality races here on the continent.

Are there fewer opportunities to race in Australia?

Australia is great because if you live in Sydney or on the Gold Coast, you have perfect training conditions all year round. There’s no place in the world that can compare to it. You’re always riding in short sleeves and shorts. But racing is a different story. The best riders only show up for the Australian championships, then do the Tour Down Under, and that’s it. But the biggest problem is that there’s no pro-conti team in Australia. There’s no middle ground, and it’s impossible to move from the continental level to World Tour.

So, it’s better to be in Europe?

Definitely. The racing opportunities are much bigger here. In the past, Australia had the National Road Series, which consisted of eight high-level races where all the Australian teams participated. But that has faded away. However, starting next year, the ProVeloSuperLeague will launch, a series funded by Gerry Ryan, the owner of the Jayco AlUla team. It will consist of several races aimed at supporting cycling talent. The winners of both the men’s and women’s categories will secure a World Tour contract. I think this will really help Australian cycling. Getting into the World Tour from Australia is practically impossible at the moment, so the whole system is changing.

And does Martin Kapr feel more like an Australian or a Czech?

I’m Australian. My parents moved to Australia before the year 2000. They’ve been there for over a quarter of a century. I was born in Sydney. But my whole family is Czech. When I was twelve, I even lived in Prague for a year. Even though I went to an English school, I learned Czech. And we actually speak Czech at home. I love my parents' homeland.