Czech cyclist Mathias Vacek captivated at Giro d’Italia 2025. Has the winner DNA
BRATISLAVA. Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen admitted that before this year’s Giro d’Italia He completed bizarre preparation. Apparently she was terrible but effective.
Instead of long outdoor training units, he stepped on the treadmill for an hour, dressed in several layers of winter clothing.
Thanks to his physical stress under such atypical conditions, he has increased the volume of plasma in his blood, making his body better getting used to heat.
This also helped him that the former world champion has a life form. He won three of the opening six stages on Gire and is the leader of the overall classification.
The Czech young man Mathias Vacek is also a big share in his victories. However, words like a surprise or sensation are not in place.
Is strong and deserves recognition
At the age of 22 he is adapted in the world peloton, he debuted in Vuelta last year and has reached several quality podium locations.
For example, at the Grand Tour premiere almost after the opening stage he wore a red jersey when he beat Aces like Wout Van Aert, Stefan Küng and Primož Roglič in a flat time trial. Only the American Brandon Mcnulty was better.
The Lidl – Trek team promised a lot from him at this spring classics, but Vacek was unlucky that he had become ill in front of the cobbled monuments and, moreover, on Paris – Roubaix fell and ended up with a bloody face.
His cooperation with Pedersen was fully shown in Gire, when Czech was a key man in the three wins of the native of Töllöse.
He was able to prepare positions in the last hundred meters at the last hundred meters, including Pedersen, including a pink jersey.
« This first week turned out much better than I imagined. I came to Giro to win as much as possible, but it wouldn’t work without guys.
Especially Vacek showed how strong he is and deserves everything we give him, « Dan said to a native of Beroun.
For the Russians could not continue
Vacek confirmed his talent in the youth categories. In 2020 he won the junior European Championship in time trial and thanks to this he earned a contract in the prokontinental team Gazprom – Rusvelo.
On Friday, February 25, 2022, he even won a day leak at the UAE race, but he had to look for a new engagement instead of celebrating.
Czech Mathias Vacek won the stage at the SAE 2022 race (author: TASR/AP)
A day earlier, Russian military aggression in Ukraine began as a result of which the International Cycling Union (UCI) suspended the Russian team.
« He had it very complicated, but he did it. It also testifies to the enormous will this boy has and how mentally advanced, » said former national coach Tomáš Konečný for idnes.cz.
At that time he helped him by classifying him for a smaller race in the representation to keep himself fit. However, when he finished second to the European Championship in the U23 category, the then team Trek – Segafredo reached for it.
The fact that the team with the American license did well was convinced a few weeks later, when Vacek won the first Czech medal from the U23 World Championship. He was second again.
« He is a complex rider. He is strong in climbing, time trial and also has a good sprint. I think he has a winner DNA, » said former cyclist Markel Irizar, looking for talents for Trek.
His brother wrapped it up
Mathias Vacek tried cross -country skiing in the teenage years and even took fourth place in the Eyof 2019 in Sarajevo 2019.
However, he chose cycling, which was also devoted to his brother Karel – also considered a great talent. Mathias has been in his shade for a long time, but according to Konečný, he had a « better head » for professional sport.
Video: Editing from 5. Stage of Giro D’Italia 2025 races
His words were confirmed when Karel Vacek finished his career last year. « I haven’t seen my way in cycling, » he said.
His brother is today the star of Gira, he wears a jersey for the best young rider and attracted his performance especially in the fifth stage with the aim of Matera. It was even stronger than the leader of the Lidl – Trek team.
Pedersen suffered from the climb and shouted Vacek « go, go, go, go! » The plan was to go to Danish and maybe that’s why the cyclists did not understand.
« I thought it was good and that he wanted to put others under pressure. So I took a little bit for it. He told me that he wanted me to attack and go alone, » Vacek admitted after the fifth stage.
But when he saw that Pedersen was losing, he lowered the pace, waited for him and in the end he created a winning position. « The boy went incredibly wisely, » said the rider who signed the contract with Lidl – Trek by the end of his career.
Believes he will win the stage on Gire
The compliment for Vacek is that also Italian commentators of RAI television on broadcasting said he was better in the stage than Mads Pedersen.
In addition, Tom Pidcock admitted that the pace of the Czech cyclist in the climb could not attack and all he had was to stay in the package.
Czech cyclist Mathias Vacek during Giro d’Italia 2025. (Author: TASR/ Lapress Via AP)
« Vacek is incredible. I am obsessed with it unhealthy, » wrote former competitor on social network X and today expert Eurosporto Dan Lloyd.
Given the current program, which has not yet been downright climbing stage, Vacek ranks in 3rd place with 24 seconds on a team colleague.
After sixteen years, he is the first Czech to wear a white jersey on the Grand Tour. He followed Roman Kreuziger on a graceful ride on the Tour de France 2009 and realizes that wearing a valuable jersey is not a matter of course.
And although he is still in the position of Pedersen’s domestic, a 22-year-old Czech cyclist believes that he will leave Gira not only with team success.
« I know Mads wants to pay me back. Giro is still long, there are still nice stages, so I hope I can win one too, » Vacek said.
