The same hotel as last year. Mathias Vacek thought it was the right way to close the circle that the absurd Gazprom affair had left openWhen he comes to sit at the table in the gigantic Hotel Diamante in Calpe, the twenty-year-old rider from the Czech Republic has the serene expression of someone who has found his way again. The contract with the Trek-Segafredo It already existed before and the year in the Russian team would have served to gain experience. Instead it turned into a long wait, inflamed by some flashes, like second places at the European Championship and the U23 World Cup.
That day In Wollongong, Vacek had a fiery look on his face. So much so that looking at it, we remembered how much he was aiming for us and we thought he had prepared a nice dedication for the UCI and would have coveted the rainbow jersey to be able to sing it.
What did you think when you arrived at the hotel?
I know it well by now, and the streets too. It's not something new to me, the difference is that we are not eating at the hotel buffet like last year, but we have our own chef.
WorldTour magic! How long has this year been?
The first part very long because I didn't have any competitions. After the results I had (Vacek had won a stop at the UAE Tour, ed.), it was bad not being able to run anymoreLuckily I started racing with the national team, I achieved some results and in the end I'm happyI did what I could.
Could you have beaten Fedorov at the World Championships?
Difficult. He he was coming from the Vuelta and he had more rhythm in his legsI, on the other hand, had done the Tour de l'Avenir, which had finished almost a month earlier. In the last few kilometers I was a bit lacking in strengthI did my best, but that's how it went. I ran with a lot of fair play, I saw that he was stronger, but I always did my part. If I was smart, maybe the group would get caught. and I wouldn't have even done second.
What will your path be with this team? What do you expect from your first year?
I start running quite early. I want to show that I already have the mentality of a leader and they will give me the opportunity to try. in some minor races. Let's see how it goes, I feel good: now we just have to work and we'll see how far we can go.
Which races are best?
Week-long stage races, then maybe some races in Belgium. With my coach Markel Irizar we are working hard to make a big step forward.I think I climbed a step between 2021 and 2022. Now we want to go even higher, but continuing a gradual progression.
Is it more a question of quantity or quality?
In the last three weeks of quantity, Now we start working on quality, because in a month I'll start with the racesI start from Argentina to Vuelta San Juan (January 22-29, ed.), not long to go.
How much do you want to show yourself?
Above all, a great desire to work well. I see my old opponents like Ayuso, who are the same age and are already going strongI have to work hard and hard if I want to reach their level. There's still a lot to improve: I know it and the team knows it. There are various aspects like nutrition. Things I didn't have before at Gazprom.Everything is much more professional here, there are many people who know how to do their jobs. But I think Gazprom was a good experience before moving up to the WorldTour. It would have been too big a leap to get there from the juniors. So I'm happy with the path we've set out on.
Will you have to earn the space they give you?
I don't want to prove anything in training. I don't like to show off. I do the work when it needs to be done, so at the competitions...I've already tried to be the leader in the Veneto Classic, where I achieved a pretty good result (sixth, ed.). We'll see how next year goes, though. I get along very well with my teammates and we will definitely do something good.
What's the best thing about being a rider?
It's a different job every day. You train, you feel free, while... at the same time someone is sitting at his desk and does not see the sunIt's also fun, especially when you're in a group with friends. For me it's a passion and running is also fun.
What job do you like the most?
I like everything. If we have to shoot for our teammate, who we know can win, I go and shoot for two hours at full speed and then I'm happy that one of us has achieved a result. If I am the leader once, then I am 100 percent concentratedMaybe there are harder training days, but I often share them with my brother Karel, who will run with the corratec.
What does the perfect victory look like?
It depends. I like to win in sprints, but when I have the legs it's also very nice to go away alone. It's always nice to win. And I want to compete with all those guys I dueled with in the juniorsI think I've already beaten these people, so there's the possibility and confidence to beat them again.
