25th Brno-Velká Bítes-Brno - 1.5

Czech Republic, March 25, 2001

Herman takes Czech opener

By Tom Svoboda

The traditional opening race of the Czech cyling season was won by Petr Herman, riding for the Czech PSK Remerx trade team 3. Second in the bunch sprint was Austrian Franz Stocker, who beat a young Czech rider, David Kupka (Cress Svorada). This team is in fact the Czech U23 National team.

For the first time in its 25 year history, the 150 kilometre race was included on the UCI calendar. The first climbing sprint was won by Kupka, while Pavel Elsnic (CS MTB Team) took the first intermediate sprint on the 22 kilometre lap around Velka Bites. The other two were taken by Polish rider Sebastian Jezierski from Legia.

On the last lap, a grouop of seven riders escaped, and they had a 35 second advantage on the peloton. However, as they approached Brno, the tempo increased and the breakaway riders were caught. PSK Remerx riders were at the front riding hard to catch Austrian rider Garber, who decided to attack alone.

In the bunch sprint, PSK Remerx sprinter Herman had to improve on his second place from last year. It was Herman's second weekend success after his win in the first race of the Czech Criterium League. He won on Saturday in his hometown Breclav.

"I was quite tired and I had heavy legs, especially in the hills. I have to thank my teammates for the perfect pursuit ride," said the winnner. "I began my sprint with three hundred meters to go, I had three foreign riders behind me so I was a bit afraid to be outsprinted," added Herman.

Results -150 km

1 Petr Herman (Cze) PSK Remerx                         3.33.53 (42.079 km/h)
2 Franz Stocher (Aut) Union-ELK-Haus
3 David Kupka (Cze) Cress Svorada
4 Marek Kaminski (Pol) Servisco
5 Roland Garber (Aut) Union-ELK-Haus
6 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Bosch Hausgerate-Junkers
7 Petr Dobrý (Cze) JOKO-Velamos
8 Daniel Czajkowski (Pol) Servisco
9 Tobias Krug (Ger) Team Stadler JVC Ratisbona
10 Peter Pichler (Aut) Austrian National Team
11 Christian Pommer (Aut) Austrian National Team
12 Rpland Wafler (Aut) Union ELK-Haus
13 Pavel Elsnic (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB
14 Radek Becka (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB
15 Dariusz Rudnicky (Pol) Legia-Bazyliszek
16 Lubos Kejval (Cze) PSK Remerx
17 Harald Stenzengruber (Aut) Bosch Hausgerate-Junkers
18 Frantisek Trkal (Cze) PSK Remerx
19 Jan Faltýnek (Cze) JOKO-Velamos
20 Nikola Smutný (Cze) TJ Favorit Brno
21 Radim Korinek (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna MTB
22 Vladimir Novotný (Cze) RC Bike Driver Linz
23 Pawel Szaniawski (Pol) Servisco
24 Gerhard Meinhardt (Aut) RC Bike Driver Linz
25 Andrziej Jagielowicz (Pol) Servisco
26 Martin Moser (Aut) Union ELK - Haus
27 Kamil Vrána (Cze) CK Brno
28 Marek Stonawski (Cze) TJ TZ Trinec
29 Petr Lazar (Cze) TJ Favorit Brno
30 Miloslav Kejval (Cze) PSK Remerx

Starting: 160 
Finished: 30