The Bicycle Museum will open with the Juniors' Peace Race

Terezín - It will be great this year! Only a few days remain until the start of the 47th edition of the Junior Peace Race. The conservative, but world-renowned race makes a few big changes in stages this year. At the start, there will be very strong lineup from twenty-four teams from all over the world, and there will be Czech national team and some Terezín's offspring as well.

"There is a very colorful race in front of us. Virtually every year I admit that it is very difficult to prepare the event, but this year I can say we will manage again. We had to introduce a few changes, and for the first time in history, we will get to places where the Junior Peace Race has never passed before. Personally, I look forward to this year, "said Svatopluk Henke, longtime director of the "May Stages" and former notional team member in the elite category.

There are four race days in stock for the juniors with five difficult stages during this year's race. Traditionally, it starts on Thursday (May 3rd) at the Mírové Square in Litomerice, where young cyclists will return after more than a hundred kilometers to decide who will take the first stage victory. The second racing day, Friday 4th May, is again divided into two parts. In the morning there is a 11-kilometer individual timetrial in Třebenice on the program, in the afternoon a stage with the start and finish in Roudnice nad Labem. "The stages with the significant changes come during the weekend," Henke pointed out. On Saturday, cycling peloton traditionally crosses the border to Germany. Viewers can look forward to a start in the spa town of Teplice and a finish in the German town Altenberg. "In the previous years, the juniors climbed to Komáří Vížka, this year they are fighting for two HC climbing bonuses after climbing Vitiška. The stage is almost one hundred kilometers long. Although I dare say that it is slightly easier compared to last year, nonetheless, it is a fact is that the riders cannot expect anything easy. During Saturday, the race is usually sees important moves and this time again it will not be a walk through the rose garden. This stage will tell a lot, but I think, the race will be decided  in the last stage. In any case, whoever things of good result cannot allow for loosing time on Staruday, "says Svatopluk Henke.

To make more changes, a whole new stage is ready for the final day. Cyclists start for the first time from Benešov nad Ploučnicí, nonetheless, according to the long tradition, the finish is always at Terezín. The race will again culminate in the North Bohemian bastion of cycling.

The Juniors Race has been an integral part of the Junior World Cup for twenty-three years. This year, eight races are part of the most prestigious Junior Nations'Cup series, after the Aprils Paris - Roubaix Juniors is Course de la Paix Juniors in the order of the world calendar. The best racers in the world come to Terezin, and the home riders want to show good performance too. In the selection of the Czech team will be also last year's overall, Karel Vacek. Jan Kašpar from nearby České Kopisty ​will wear tricolor jersey as well. A mixed Czech-German team of the Euroregion, which only underlines the importance of cross-border cooperation, will be at the start. "The competition will be strong and Karel certainly will not be in an easy position, but we believe he will reach the podium and will join some of the current legends of elite world cycling, which also succeeded in our race. Let's remember Sagan, Kwiatkowski, Kreuziger, König or Cancellara, " Svatopluk Henke reminded us of the past successful competitors in this race.

They do not forget the legends and cycling history in Terezín. On the occasion of the 47th year of the Course de la Paix Juniors, a festive opening of the Racing Cycling Museum under the auspices of the Czech Cycling Federation will be held on Friday 4 May. "Together with our race, another milestone is coming to Terezín to highlight the fact that cycling and Terezín are historically interconnected. In the museum visitors will be able to see bicycles on which that Czechoslovak cyclists have achieved great success, There will be also some of the first two-wheeled machines and bicycles that we have acquired from the National Technical Museum, "said the "May stages" director Svatopluk Henke.