A tenth place finish can be truly special if it represents a rebirth. Mathias Vacek knows it well: waiting to wear the jersey of Trek Segafredo (his contract has been in force since August 1st) with the performance obtained at Future Tower He finally put an end to a dark period, for him as for all those involved in the Gazprom RusVelo affair, a long-running dispute that put his career and that of many other riders at risk through no fault of his own and, above all, without the UCI batting an eyelid.
Vacek had started his season strongly, culminating with a fantastic victory in the sixth stage of theUae Tour, which means in the WorldTour that he was promising great things. Then from one day to the next the lights went out and it was really difficult to stay on track.
Active with the national team
That Vacek is a great rider is also clear from the fact that every time he has been called into question (his national team did it, as ours has acted towards the various malucelli, concept and company) he was ready, taking 3rd place at the Peace Race where he also won the prologue or 2nd at the European Under 23 ChampionshipsBut the French race was something special.
It wasn't an easy race, and Vacek explains it clearly: "I started out with great motivation, precisely because I finally felt free and calm after some really difficult months. I faced this period with my head always held high., knowing that something would eventually happen and I had to be ready as alwaysAll that hard work had to lead to something.I had nothing to lose. Stage after stage I felt better and better, and above all, I noticed that I was improving, so I see that 10th place as something very positive."
How did you manage during all these difficult months, without a team, a schedule, or any guarantees for the future?
I tried to be strong with my head even before my legs, focused, without letting myself get downIt cost me a lot, I admit, there were times when I wanted to curse everything and everyone, but what would have been the point? I had to keep myself motivated, find reasons to keep going day after day. Hard work always pays off in the end.
How would you have fared if you had shown up at the Tour de l'Avenir like the others, with a good amount of racing behind you?
It's hard to say, I think I would have been more competitive, If I had had a preparatory program punctuated by competitive events, everything would have been easier.During the race, I noticed that I lacked the pace compared to the others, and it was a very competitive race, where I was really going fast. However, with "ifs and don'ts" you get nowhere, I finished 10th, and I'm fine with that for now.
How helpful was it? your brother in this period without a team?
A lot, he helped me in training as I helped him. I think being together all the time, side by side on and off the bike, has been important for both of us during this strange season. We are in perfect symbiosis, I sincerely hope that sooner or later we will find ourselves on the same team again.
How important is it to have a secure future at Trek-Segafredo now?
It gives me much more peace of mind, I signed a three-year contract, so I can work calmly to achieve my goals and put this season aside half-timeI have nothing left to lose, I just have to stay focused on what I'm doing and give it my all.
Where will we see you now?
My next commitment will be the World Cup in Australia, then the season finale in Italy with a quick trip to Croatia. I'm really looking forward to the World Championships and I want to do well, especially in the time trial, because I think I can play some important cards. In fact, I'm preparing especially for that. The road race, also because of its route, will be a kind of lottery where anything can happen. I can definitely do well on that route; I'm a versatile rider and I'm comfortable whether I manage to join a strong breakaway or if the solution comes in a sprint. But there'll be time to think about that; first I want to focus on the time trial.
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