From start to finish, last year's U23 Peace Race was full of excitement. The battles of the world's cycling hopefuls on the roads of the Jeseníky Mountains provided countless unforgettable moments. We've selected ten of the most interesting ones for you.
Future Stars in the Peloton
The announcement of national team nominations for the Peace Race is always an eagerly awaited moment. After all, in the past, current peloton stars like Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard have raced in the Czech republic, and every year, cycling hopefuls' names are mentioned in connection with the Peace Race. This year, the most attention was focused on António Morgado, who at the age of twenty can boast two victories in the highest category professional races and a fifth place in the Monument Ronde van Vlaanderen. Besides the Portuguese talent, fans and experts were also curious about the performances of Frenchman Paul Magnier and Briton Ben Wiggins, son of the legendary 2012 Tour de France winner.
New Places, New Cities
The organizers of the Peace Race strive to bring a unique cycling spectacle to new places and cities. This was also the case in last year's edition, when the peloton made its debut in Krnov and Opava. "We are always happy when the Peace Race visits new locations and when we move to other cities. We feel that we can continue to expand," said Race Director Leopold König with satisfaction.
Yellow Jersey Changed Hands Three Times
The fierce young riders in the peloton regularly ensure unpredictable moments at the Peace Race, and during last year's edition, three different riders wore the yellow jersey during the four stages.
Triumph of Danish Talent
The opening stage between Krnov and Opava offered a thrilling course, with a six-man breakaway group managing to maintain a gap from the chasing peloton for eighty kilometers. At the finish line, Danish talent Morten Aalling Nörtoft celebrated victory.
WorldTour Experience Came in Handy
The second stage from Uničov to Rýmařov offered an incredible pace of 48 km/h and another successful breakaway. This time, however, the peloton neutralized the gap, and in the bunch sprint, 20-year-old Paul Magnier, who is on the roster of the WorldTour team Soudal Quick-Step and won a stage at the Tour of Oman last year, had the most strength.
More Drama on Dlouhé stráně
The legendary climb of Dlouhé stráně is a regular feature of the Peace Race itinerary, and last year the young riders experienced the famous ascent firsthand in the Queen stage. The thrilling drama, in which three riders fought for victory until the last moment, was eventually won by 20-year-old Frenchman Brieuc Rolland, who thus set off on the path to overall victory. "A beautiful, very aggressive finish," Leopold König praised the riders' performance with respect.
A Stunning Solo Finish
Dutch rider Wessel Mouris achieved one of the greatest successes of his career at the end of last year's Peace Race. The 21-year-old rider, after a breakaway lasting more than half of the fourth stage from Šumperk to Jeseník, maintained a decisive advantage with great effort and celebrated a well-deserved victory at the finish.
Excellent Atmosphere
Although the Peace Race is "just" a race for riders under 23, cycling fans once again showed that they are also curious about the up-and-coming talent. Throughout the four stages, there was a lively atmosphere not only in the start and finish towns but also along the routes where the peloton with the hopes of world cycling was on display. "The fans gave us an incredible welcome in all the cities on the route," Leopold König noted with appreciation.
Thrill from Start to Finish
The four stages of last year's Peace Race offered an exceptionally exciting course with an open ending almost to the very end. "The race was incredibly exciting from start to finish. We prepared four very demanding stages for the riders, and every day we saw a breakaway group. Both the first and last day, the breakaway failed to be caught, and even in the battle for the overall classification, it was unclear until the last climb whether the French rider would keep the yellow jersey. So for us as organizers, we are completely satisfied," reflected Leopold König.
Traditional Date
For the organizing team led by Leopold König, last year's Peace Race was a successful event in every aspect. And the organizers intend to keep the bar high this year as well. Fans can look forward to a number of new features in the traditional term: The Peace Race will once again take place at the turn of May and June, from May 29 to June 1, 2025.
Foto: Jan Brychta, Barbora Reichová, Markéta Navrátilová
