ALBERTO CONTADOR WILL RIDE L'ETAPE CZECH REPUBLIC
Alberto Contador, one of the greatest cyclists in history, will ride L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France. The Spanish cyclist won the 2007 and 2009 Tour de France, won the Vuelta three times, triumphed twice at the Giro d' Italia and became the fifth cyclist to win all three of the most prestigious stage races. In addition to Contador, there are also well-known Czech cyclists on the track: Ján Svorada, Zdeněk Štybar, Tomáš Bábek, Martina Sáblíková and Tereza Huříková.
"I am happy to be visiting the Czech Republic for the first time, especially because I will be taking part in L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France. I've heard nothing but praise from the ASO organizers about L'Etape Czech Republic. In three years, the project has managed to rise from zero to one of the highest rated in the world. I am looking forward to chatting with other riders in the peloton, fans along the course and at the finish line. I hear there will be thousands of them, which is great," says AlbertoContador two months before the start. "I think events like L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France are also very important for children and young riders. I'm happy to be an ambassador and set an example for young cyclists. I wish all the riders the best of luck and I hope they do their best. But the most important thing is that we all enjoy and remember this experience for a long time to come. I'm really looking forward to it, it's going to be a great race."
The hilly stage of L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France, which will take place on 15 June 2024, includes three variants.Riders can take the Long Route, the Medium Route and the Short Route.Alberto Contador will start the race as part of the Long Route, but will join the participants of the Medium and Short Routes after an in-progress autograph session."The interest of cyclists and sports enthusiasts only confirms what a phenomenon the project has become over the three editions so far.There are a few dozen places left on the Long and Short Routes, while the Middle Route has been sold out for several months.Safety is a clear priority for us, so once again they will be completely closed," says Přemysl Novák, head of the L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France project."Getting Alberto Contador as an ambassador for this year's edition was our dream, which we managed to realise thanks to our general partner, Škoda Auto.We see the involvement of the two-time Tour de France winner in our project as a step up to the next level.We believe that our enthusiasm for joining with Alberto will be shared by the cyclists at the race, as well as the fans around the track."
Alberto Contador, who earned the nickname El Pistolero for his unmistakable style of celebrating triumphs, is still in great shape. He cycles regularly, owns the Aurum bicycle brand, is general manager of the UCI Pro-licensed Polti team and is a commentator for Eurosport TV. In total, he has 68 victories in 16 seasons in the professional peloton. He has ridden for ONCE Eroski, Liberty Seguros, Discovery Channel, Astana, Saxo Bank, Tinkoff Saxo and Trek Segafredo. On the bike, he came across as an elegant rider with unparalleled endurance in the hills, capable of a great time trial. He also stood out for his unique style. Hips swaying from side to side and repetitive attacks broke the stereotype of the peloton.
"We are a proud partner of the Tour de France and all cyclists alike, so it's great news for us and the entire cycling family that Alberto Contador, two-time Tour de France winner, will be competing in the biggest domestic amateur race. The personality of this year's ambassador corresponds faithfully with the growing importance and popularity of L'Etape Czech Republic," says Libor Šedivák, Head of Marketing at Škoda Auto Czech Republic.
L'Etape Czech Republic by Tour de France is the largest czech race for amateur cyclists. This year, for the first time, it has two events on the programme. The first one is the Hill Stage on 15 June, the second one will be the premiere Mountain Stage on 17 August with the start in Prachatice and the route in the foothills of Šumava.
