One of the top races of the season took place in St. Wendel in Germany. Yes, we are talking about the European MTB Championships.

After riding in three World Cup races where Tereza nominated herself to the Olympic games, she decided not to start in the Czech MTB Cup in Teplice and devoted her time to training for the European MTB Championships. “I’m not nervous, I know that I haven’t beaten Nathalii /Schneitter/ yet this season, so I know that it will be a tough race for the gold medal, but I also know that the worst I can be is bronze,” said Tereza before the Championships. Until now she has managed to win a medal in the U23 category in all European Championships where she started - 2006 Alpago 2nd place, 2007 Cappadocia 3rd place.

“Germans always had their tracks technical and full of surprises, but I was quite disappointed by this race track. I prefer different types of tracks, but it’s the same for everyone,” Tereza described the European Championships race track before the race.

She started off the race really well and dictated the pace and tactics of the race in the first two laps. Unfortunately in the third lap Tereza’s chain fell down between her chain wheel and front changer in the technical passage and she ended up twisting the changer. She could ride to the technical zone only on her middle chain ring, and although the repair work was quick, Tereza lost contact with the leading duo and got back on track in 6th position. She managed to get back into 3rd place quite easily. “Getting back cost me a lot of my power, but I couldn’t catch on to the lead anymore. It’s a shame a technical problem disqualified me from the gold medal battle. I could’ve been with them in the front,” said Tereza. She didn’t manage to catch up to the first two ladies, but she managed to defend her bronze medal from last year. “I’m both, satisfied and unsatisfied. I rode the best I could, but I couldn’t catch up to them anymore. According to my sportester it wasn’t even possible. But it also could’ve been much worse,” she said after the race. Next year Tereza will have her last chance to win the gold medal in the U23 category in Holland.

Nathalie Schneitter from Switzerland won the European gold in St. Wendel, the silver went to Tanja Zakelj from Slovenia and Tereza Hurikova won her bronze. All three ladies are ex junior world champions / Schneitter 2004, Tereza 2005, Zakelj 2006/!

More information about the European Championships on MTBS.cz

Next weekend Tereza will appear for her home fans at the Czech MTB Cup in Karlovy Vary, than she will race in the following two World Cup races in Andorra and Scotland. The World MTB Championships follow, so Tereza will miss out on the next Czech Cup race in Spindleruv Mlyn due to training.

Tereza still has a chance to win the European Champion title this year, she is planning with her coach to participate in the road timetrial race at the European Road Championships which will take place on July 3rd in Italy.

Foto: Michal Cervený a Jan Nemec, MTBS.cz