28.8.2009

 

Cyclists rewarded with a ride in Tatra trucks

 

On August 22, 2009, the Tatra test track became a center of cycling sport. At its oval, a ten of races in various categories was gradually started. It was within the 2nd year of cycling races of both non-handicapped and handicapped sportsmen called “TATRA Truck Manufacturer Cup”, which was organized by the Tatra Community Fund headed by Edita Adams and TATRA, a.s., Sport Club Kociánka Brno and the Moravian-Silesian Cycling Union. The 1,600-metre sloped oval, which was the venue of the races, proved to be very difficult with its long and treacherous climbing up and down. There were a total of 198 bikers coming down to Kopřivnice. They appreciated the surface of the racing track. They were excited by very quiet surroundings of the polygon which is entirely outside any road traffic, and they were very happy with the background prepared by the organizers. Cycling fans, who attended the event, definitely did not regret their coming. There were lots of exciting moments how it would turn out in the finish, who, in the end, would win. Everybody must have admired performances and a steadfast will of all handicapped participants. The Tatrovak magazine briefly interviewed three of them.

A 17-year old Marek Fröhlich of the Kociánka Brno Sports Club uniting handicapped sportsmen has been cycling since he was four. He has been handicapped since he was born and he must get along in his life with only one arm. Being handicapped like that, he cycles excellently and on the top of that, he ranks among the best ones. At the Tatra oval, he came second. Marek likes to say: “I am one hand in glove with my bike.” And he is right. He also told us that he is starting to train with a prosthesis to achieve even better times, and to have a stronger support when cycling. His dream is the Olympics. It is nice that on his websites, there is a counter counting down how many days are left to the start of the next Olympics in London in 2012. So, good luck!

Also, for the SC Kociánka Brno, Tomáš Salák was racing. He is also 17 and he took up cycling just a year ago. Before that he did swimming. At the Tatra polygon he, utterly, left all his powers. But in his category he was second in the finish. In the finish, Tomáš said: “The most difficult race of the season is over. Why the most difficult one? Anybody who did not attend, will not understand. The race took place at the test track of the company where the best off-road trucks are tested. The track surface had four lanes, smooth asphalt and mainly a very difficult profile for truck testing. I have learned about the treacherous Tatra speed track during starting cycling rides and the fact that I came second, I just regard this as a big success as our club’s adage says: Whatever fate any of us has, it always makes sense to fight with it. When you win over all the others, you still must win over yourself. And I managed this. One of the rewards was a ride in the Tatra truck on the test track full of obstacles. That was the biggest experience I am taking with me from here.”

At the handbike race, there was only one woman – Anna Oroszová from Košice. Her life was sports, also before she became handicapped. She refused to give up sports after an accident which placed her on a wheelchair. In the beginning, she did the so-called power lifting, a sport in which she also competed at the Paralympics in Sydney and Athens. She did not go to China and practically over night she changed to a handbike to become a Slovak representative soon. On her track, she already has a bronze medal from the European Cup. Now, she is preparing for the World Championship in Italy. At the Kopřivnice oval, she even “gave a pasting” to several men and got a big applause in the finish. She, herself, said after the race: “It was just an excellent ride for me. The circuit is very hard but this makes it nicer, and also, we were lucky with the weather. Kopřivnice is just my love, here, I have been taking part in sports games for handicapped people for many years.”

I shall not forget a name of Jiří Bouška who has been doing road and track cycling on the top level for many years. His biggest achievement was at Paralympics in Beijing last year where he got two medals: a silver and a bronze one. At the Tatra polygon track, we could see him in both years and in his category, both times he was the best one.

Among non-handicapped sportsmen, first, we interviewed a 12-year old Jiří Janošek representing a club from Hranice in the junior I category. Taking into account he has been racing only for a year, he certainly has his sports career yet before him. From Kopřivnice, he took a reward for second place, he spoke highly of the good track, good conditions and an unforgettable experience from the Tatra cab.

Lucie Kočí started for KC Slavia Praha in the category of women and junior II. She passed the finished line as the first one, however, with respect to the fact that the result also included a rank in the premium race, it turned out in the end to be a second place. “The surface is perfect. It was good for me that this is not a technical circuit. There are no bends. I am not good at them. And the brutal hill, in the end, it was quite ok for me,” assessed Lucie briefly. However, after the race her mind was rather preoccupied with sitting in the Tatra truck then with cycling. Of course, this wish of her came true.
Eva Boháčová

Place where all participants had to register. Pupils are ready for the start. Handbikes and tricycles waiting for their start.
Climbing up the oval track was quite difficult and it took the contestants a lot of strength. After the first round, the group of junior cyclists stuck together. Whereas some contestants still had some laps to go, the other ones were already enjoying their reward – a ride in the Tatra truck.
Winner’s rostrum surrounded by Tatra trucks. Edita Adams, Tatra Community Fund Director, and Karel Kempný, Race Director, handing over rewards to the best three cyclists in the women category of juniors II. For remembrance of the event, a collective photo in front of a military Tatra truck also with Tatra truck drivers. Final announcement of winners in the handbike category took place in the tent due to the rain.