140 riders will start the Junior Peace Race today

Confirmed, all settled, all is ready! The next edition of the international multistage cycling race, the Course de la Paix Juniors / Junior Peace Race is starting now. There are 140 cyclists from 24 countries competing for the yellow jersey of the 43rd edition.

    The race will begin at 2:30 pm on the main square in Litomerice and according to the schedule the worlds best junior riders will come back there after almost hundred kilometers just before 5 pm. This years peloton consists of 140 riders from 24 countries. Present again are the cycling superpowers and traditional UCI ranking leaders - France, Denmark, Germany or Belgium. For the first time in the race history there will be the teams of Israel and Algeria at the start. Among the riders who signed in the race is the current time trial champion, the last years the winner in Florence, Igor Decraene (Belgium), who last year in the Junior Peace Race ended up on the 19th place, the best among the newcomers to the category. „The spectators will see the best of the cycling prospects. The Junior Peace Race is rated to be one of the best organized world class events dedicated to the junior category, so I believe the spectators will help to create the proper atmosphere for the young riders, which their performances certainly deserve,“ with these words the races press agent invites the public to come and see the race, reminding them also that the Czech racers would appreciate their support.

Of course a team of six Czech riders is on the start as well, in the tricolor jerseys will be Adam Ťoupalík, Pavel Camrda, Jan Kovář, Marek Šípoš, Roman Lehky and Luďek Helis. In charge of the national team, as last year, will be the former national team member Luděk Kubias. „I'm curious myself how the boys will perform. Ťoupalík and Camrda were here last year and they have some experience in the international peloton, so they could show something. If some of our riders ends up in the top ten I will be satisfied with the races result for the Czech team,“ said the race director Henke.

    There are four hundred kilometers awaiting the cyclists in northern Bohemia and Saxony in Germany. The race starts today on the main square in Litomerice and will continue with the time trial in Třebenice tomorrow before noon and in the afternoon with a half stage in Roudnice nad Labem. For Saturday there is a stage with start in Teplice and a finish in the German town of Zinwald on the schedule, during which the riders will climb Komáří Vížka twice. The race will traditionally finish on Sunday in Terezin.