The current Czech number one, Jan Hirt, will ride the Sazka Tour, the most prestigious stage race in the Czech Republic. It takes place this week from Thursday to Sunday in the Olomouc and Moravian-Silesian regions. The rider for team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux has confirmed his participation. He should also be joined by team colleagues Domenico Pozzovivo of Italy and Taaramäe of Estonia.
“It is excellent news that we have been able to agree on participation with the best domestic cyclist of last season. We are confident that he will be in the fight for overall victory and that he will attract many fans to the race,” said Leopold König, race director.
Hirt’s competitors will also include the defending champion from last year, Filippo Zana of Italy, who also achieved third place overall on the Tour de l’Avenir last year. The 2020 race winner, Australian Damien Howson, is also signed up for this year’s race. This year Pozzovivo was eight in the Giro, and Taaramäe has during his career won stages on the Giro and Vuelta.
Hirt has already competed on the Sazka Tour eight times. This year, he has performed well, particularly with victory on the “royal stage” of the Giro d'Italia, on which he finished sixth overall. "I am always happy when I can race in front of the home fans. Since I’ve already had a good result in the season, I will ride calmly and without stress," Hirt said. "I want to achieve the best possible result in the overall standings, and the third stage on Dlouhé stráně is very attractive, I look forward to it," he added.