Peter Dlask. Photo: Michal SváÄek, MF Dnes.
For those not in the know, the Toi Toi Cup is the Czech Republic’s national series. It is similar to the USGP in the states, or the National Trophy series in England. Unlike those series though, the Toi Toi Cup only offers eight rounds of elite racing, while lower categories have 12 races. The series is usually hotly contested between two or three riders, often times one of those riders is a foreigner. Here are my predictions for round one:
Toi Toi Cup Round 1 – Lostice, CZE (UCI C2)
The Winner
Peter Dlask – Dlask is one of the top riders in the Czech Republic and was in the running for the overall last year. Usually the first round of the Toi Toi Cup is dominated by Zdenk Stybar, but in his absence Dlask should shine. It also helps that Dlask is a three-time winner of this race.
The Podium
Radomir Simunek – Another great Czech rider, Simunek always seems on the cusp of greatness. While he failed to win a race last year, he was in the top-ten in nearly every Superprestige and ended up 11th on UCI points. While he has a shot for victory, I think Dlask will be able to edge him out.
Vladimir Kyzivat – The 2011/12 Toi Toi Cup winner would love to start this season off with a bang. Kyzivat won this series off of consistency last year and should be able to do the same this year. While he didn’t win a race last year, he was always in the hunt and should pick up a victory at some point this year. For this race, he’s good for a podium appearance.