27th July 2016, 12 o'clock noon. In
Valongo do Vouga, Portugal, Vojtech Ludvik is the first athlete to
leave for the Middle Distance of the 2016 World MTB Orienteering
Championships. 47:18 later, he would finish his race, having a long
wait until the arrival of the last competitor. Then, he knew that his performance meant the silver medal, his best result ever in
a quite short career.
How long that
two-hours-and-26-minute-wait seemed to you?
Vojtech Ludvik (V. L.) - Well,
at first I didn't care at all, because there were so many good riders
coming in next hours. I knew I'd made a few mistakes and I was really
exhausted in the last part of the race, walking up the hill to the
last control. The juniors were following the race online and they
were talking about it all the time. I was still chilled, ate the
lunch and then had a really great coffee with Krystof Bogar (thanks
for it!). We came back to Czech juniors and they told me, that there
weren't many riders in the forest and just few of them had the chance
to beat me and then I started to think about the result. The
adrenalin was increasing and then - Anton [Foliforov] came :)
Everyone was in the finish and he was the only one who beat me. He's
a real legend, I wasn't surprised at all. I was just surprised that
all the other guys made more mistakes than I did (!).
Having been the first to start was
an advantage?
V. L. - Maybe some could see it
as an advantage... I was prepared for higher temperatures, so I had
no problems with that. But if others were starting that early (right
after the clouds were gone), they would finish, probably, with better
time.
The final outcome would reveal Anton
Foliforov as the big winner. Incidentally, Anton called to him all
the individual gold in the WMTBOC 2016, a feat unprecedented from
someone who is the best MTBO'er of all time. What does Anton
Foliforov have that you (still) don't have?
V. L. - That's probably clear
mapping. I'm still too young and dumb and I can't slow down myself.
It's all in my head.
How does MTB orienteering come into
your life?
V. L. - I was born 23 years ago
in a small village in Northern Bohemia. My parents were doing FootO,
so I was doing it too, Then I tried some sort of MTBO race and I
wanted to do more of it. In few years I redirected my brother and my
parents from FootO to MTBO. Apart from cycling I like travelling and
eating. That's also what I like about MTBO, because I can taste
different kind of food and travel across Europe for the fractal of
the price (laughs).
What makes of MTB Orienteering such
a “special” discipline?
V. L. - In Czech Republic, the
thing which makes MTBO so special is the community. I didn't like
FootO community that much, there are too many people I don't know.
Your good results throughout the
season are a consequence of a change in your training strategy or
just the logical evolution towards the full maturity?
V. L. - The progress I made last
year is a mix of many parts. At first there was a huge motivation
after an unsuccessful WMTBOC in Liberec, last year- Then I split my
last university year, so I had more time for training. I also decided
to recover more and I finally managed to get a 29er. I also get some
material support from few people of MTBO community and that had a
great influence in my mind.
We spoke about the silver medal in
the Middle Distance and we are forgetting the gold in the Relay of
the World Championships. Would you like to mention all the races that
are marks along the season?
V. L. - For me the biggest mark
of the season was the 3rd place in France. There I knew that I was
doing it well and that would be possible to challenge all the Elite
riders. The silver medal had a nice calming effect on me, so I went
into the Relay with clear mind. And I made almost no mistakes. That
was awesome. But I have to say that that silver medal means more for
me.
If I asked you to name the best MTB
orienteering achievement of the year 2016, what would be your choice?
V. L. - Definitely the WMTBOC
silver medal. But, as I said, the most important was the 3rd place in
France.
What means to you to be one of the
athletes' voices next to the IOF? What's the first topic you'd like
to see discussed in the Commission?
V. L. - The reason why I'm in the Athletes Commission is because Marek Pospíšek wanted to leave and suggested me to replace him. I took that chance and right now I'm still in the “aclimatization process”. I haven't thought of anything so far.
We have now a long break until the
next “serious” races. What is your strategy to overcome the
winter season and face 2017 in the best shape?
V. L. - I have this year my
longest break between seasons ever. From WMTBOC I was just chilling
but my training plan will start in few weeks. The first major part of
my 2017 preparation is one month in February/March in Spain. I'm
really looking forward to that, because it will be my base for the
rest of the year. Then I'll try to take my mapping skills to
another level. I'm going to need that for the WMTBOC in Lithuania.
What are the major challenges in
2017 and how do you expect expect to cope with them?
V. L. - My biggest challenge for
2017 is definitely the WMTBOC. I've never been so focused on my
mapping skills before, but in Kaunas I could see these were my
biggest limitations.
Now that 2016 comes to an end and a
new season is about to start, I would ask you to leave a word to all
orienteers and, in particular, to the MTB orienteering's lovers.
V. L. - Head! Legs! Bike!
Joaquim Margarido
