LADIES FIGHTERS
Although only 6 ladies attended RACZ26, competition in women's category was exceptionally strong this year, and on the first day, four girls took turns at the top. From the first night, however, Klára Burdová became a blockbuster, gradually working her way forward and ...finding enough willpower to ride without big sleep, even at last night on the route.

Klára is a successful ultratrail runner, and we immediately included her among the dark mares of Race. However, she also made her first bikepacking at RACZ26. On second day, she proved that in addition to her great physique, she also has a strong moral - despite two falls and bloody knees, she was in a good mood the whole time and was giving smiles.

The arrival at Holubyho chata and subsequent interviews for our media team were very emotional, even with tears in her eyes. Klára's finishing time is 3d 9h 47m, which means 14th place overall. Leaving behind 90 men at her first ultra-cycling race in her life? What a performance!

However, other girls also fought well. Klára Kinzer, who had only done bikepacking as a holiday, finished second. Despite this, she "bite" at RACZ, also didn't sleep too much during the race, pushed her time under 4 days and finished in 30th place.

Last year's winner Martina Boháčiková took this year's race more as a trip with her partner Štefan, and ended up riding most of her journey with RACZ24 winner Julianne Andre from France. This year, Julka had a very painful race, when she fell at 120 km and badly bruised her entire left leg and hip. Second day added technical problems with gearshift.

So both ultra girls shared third place in the women's category and with a time of 4d 00h 40min they took 33rd place overall.

With great self-denial, Jana Terblová made it to Dalešice a while ago, fighting exhaustion at the end, accompanied by a nosebleed. But the sprint was not in the game, and the emotions at the finish of the short route were all the sweeter.

The ageless Elke Guterman is already in Znojmo, let's see if she finds the motivation to finish the main route.

Congratulations to all the successful finishers and hats off.

Keep following Elke's actions (and more) via GPS Tracking
cs.follow.me.cz/tracking/racz26

CHARITY RIDE FOR DOMESTICI
Martin and Tomáš are Fighting hard during their ride for domestici.cz and their families follow them and are still preparing some refreshment for our Riders.

We follow their experience via WhatsApp, through videos and pictures and are amazed how they can ...motivate community around Domestici project, not just to contribute money but also to sit on the bike and go for a ride.

Big respect deserves Tomáš, who was suffering with knee pains, so they decided to shift their challenge to Short route.

But suddenly, both guys started to enjoy their ride so much, that in the middle of third section they returned back to Full route and tonight they are gonna push though the night.

While Martin - as RAAM Finisher - know this well, for Tomáš it will be absolutely new experince.

So wish them good night and support Domestici via their charity collection

https://www.domestici.cz/vyzva/racz26

GALLERY DAY 3
While we have 16 Finishers of Full Route and 15 of Short route, we would like to share gallery from Day 3, when Riders passed regions Česká Kanada, Telč and headed to Podyjí national park.

MARTIN ŠLÉGL ARRIVED AS THIRD
Martin Šlégl made it to the RACZ26 podium and also victory in strong category 50+.Thanks to a non-stop nightly swing during the third night of the race, he managed to overtake Petr Obrázek,

The 57-year-old veteran from Kosmonos does not have a super... long bikepacking CV, having only participated in one edition of Bohemia Divide, but after winning this year's NonVabank he certainly belonged to a wider field of favorites.

Martin ranks among Riders who did not unnecessarily extend their stay at RestPoints and generally tried to reduce his stop-time a lot, which is a tactic that bears fruit in ultracycling. Need to say, that of actual top10 finishers who have already made it to Javořina, he looked the most exhausted at the finish line :-D.

But the hard work paid off and bronze medal from Race with 100 Riders on main route is definitely a prestigious achievement.

Big congrats, Martin and we wish you a lot of strength in the years to come.

SECOND PLACE FIGHTED BY JIRKA TUREK
Shortly before 5am, Jirka Turek arrived to Holubyho chata on second place. He needed 2 days, 20 hours and 40 minutes.

Jirka moved to second position during the first night and for rest of Race he was in a strange situation, where Tom was ahead of ...him for several hours, and he in turn had a comfortable lead over Wolfs behind him. Nevertheless, Jirka showed the soul of a warrior and even during last night he rode without sleep to finish as soon as possible. Thanks to this, he was able to enjoy the breathtaking sunrise over White Carpathians. At Holubyho refuge, he then deservedly slept in until late morning :-D

For 37-year-old Rider, who has been living and working in France for several years, this means his third completed RACZ - after 3rd place at RACZ24 (also one position behind Tom Křováček), he struggled a bit at the end last year and finished at a leisurely pace with his girlfriend Julka around 20th place. So this year he is again improving his position ... and in the future he must be motivated to fight for gold!

Another great performance and big congratulations, Jirka!

TOMÁŠ KŘOVÁČEK BECAME THE WINNER OF RACZ26
Dear Riders and Fans,

We are happy to announce that winner of fifth edition Race Across Czechia is Tomáš Křováček, who arrived at Velká Javořina - with the tremendous and loud support of his family - shortly before half past ten. ...His finishing time - of 1130km route with 13000m elevation - is therefore 2 days 14 hours and 20 minutes.

Tom took the lead during the first afternoon and gradually increased his gap without any major crisis, to grab well-deserved victory. On the last section, Tom was a little bothered by heat in Pálava and sandy sections in Hodonín area, but our Final Push ascent climbed in a big euforia, and he still had enough strength left for a crushing finish. Just a shame that he didn't make it before sunset, which was downright kitschy here yesterday..

For 35-year-old UltraBiker from Nová Ves near Chotěboř, this is certainly a great satisfaction after last year's unlucky edition, when he had to scratch from second place, 20km from finish line, just under the last hill, because killing pain in knees.

So, this season has been extremely successful so far for Tom - after second place at Race Around Netherlands, third at 400 Ultra and victory at Moravia Divide, he now attributes valuable double. And we will of course cheer him on to complete his "UB hat-trick" with a title at August's UB30: Twenty Lakes Challenge, thus ensuring his immortality in history of entire UltraBikers Cup.

Great performance Tom!

GALLERY FROM DAY 2
While third day is slowly ending and our Leader Tomáš Křováček is quickly approaching Velká Javořina, let's share Peťa Janíček's gallery from Day 2, when Riders passed beautiful areas around Třeboň and Nové Hrady.

Follow Tom's Final Push ...
cs.follow.me.cz/tracking/racz26

LUKÁŠ BLAIL BECAME THE WINNER OF THE SHORT ROUTE
At 12:32, as forth Rider who hit Dalešice brewery, arrived Lukáš Blail And became a winner of RACZ26 Short route.

820km in a awesome 2d 4h 25min

We are very happy for him as Lukáš is one of the most passionate member of... community around UB Cup.

Due to repeated knee pain during longer swings in the past, he had a but respect for the 800km portion, but he showed great performance and deservedly becomes the first ever winner of the short route RACZ.

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS !!!

SECOND PIT STOP FROM DOMESTICI
During Friday, Domestici team moved further along the route until they anchored at one of our most popular RACZ26 traps - nearby wooden footbridge to the island in the Hejtman pond, near Chlum u Třeboně.

Once again, watermelons, bananas or beer were ...served, and some of our Riders were also accompanied to the island by four Martin's girls, who, according to the videos and photos, are really enjoying the support of our Race.

Martin and Tom continue to fight on the Route, unfortunately Tom's body is starting to show that the 1100km portion will probably be too much for the first ultracycling challenge. But they want to make it at least to the finish line of 800km short route, at all costs.

So keep your fingers crossed for them, and you can support their determination by contributing to charity collection on the page: https://www.domestici.cz/vyzva/racz26