As the outstanding Czech cyclocross rider, Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) is the overwhelming favourite for his national championships in Hlinsko on Saturday. The World champion knows that he is the favourite to take his fifth successive title, but does not expect the race to be easy.
“It won't be gifted to me,” he said. “I know all too well that I'm at the top of the list, but I have a lot of respect for the competition.”
Like most of Europe, the Czech Republic has suffered some extreme cold weather, but an expected thaw at the weekend should mean that Stybar will not be riding another snowy race.
“I haven't been on the course yet,” he said, “but I know there's a lot of snow there at the moment. For now anyway because they're saying it's going to be five degrees so I'm expecting a mud pool.”
The only Czech rider to beat Stybar this season has been Radomir Simunek (BKCP-Powerplus), although this was in the race dedicated to his late father Radomir Simunek senior. Unfortunately the rider who could be Stybar’s chief rival crashed out of the World Cup race in Heusden-Zolder on December 26th, fracturing his collarbone, and so will not be starting on Saturday.
“It's a shame,” Stybar admitted, “I'd rather have everyone at the start. But anyway, I think I'll have my hands full with Martin Zlamalik (Sunweb-Revor), among others. I'm not going to be gifted the victory. Maybe they'll ride on my wheel.”
The late Simunek senior is currently the outright record holder with seven Czech national titles; at just 25 years old Stybar is well on the way to challenging this, but for now it is not something he’s thinking about.
“I currently have four,” he said. “Perhaps it's a goal to equal his record or even break it. But that's all still very far away. I'm not looking for number seven, but number five.”
With the vat majority of the cyclocross season taking place in northern Belgium, it’s not often that Stybar gets to race in front of a home crowd.
“It's very nice because I don't often get a chance to show my rainbow jersey to my own public,” he said. “My regular mechanics came over from Belgium. My girlfriend Ine remains back in Belgium.”
Once the national championships are over, the World champion will be heading south again for some more warm weather training ahead of the next round of th World Cup in Pontchateau, France.
“I'll immediately leave for Vienna,” he explained. “I'll spend the night there and head to Mallorca the next morning.”