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Michal Prokop
Age
28 Years Old
Location
Prague 9, CZ
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MTB > 4X / Mountain Cross

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Ruhrbau 4X Cup 2007

The Czech 4X Cup was here before the fourcross became official at the UCI Mountainbike World Cup. Now we are going already into the volume number six, thanks the new title sponsor this year called also the Ruhrbau 4X Cup 2007.

Some series call themselves “the biggest 4X series in Europe”. All right then. But do they also have two of top three World Cup riders on the starting list? We don’t think so, haaa (peace Chris;) With two times World Champion and two times World Cup winner Michal Prokop of Author, Kamil Tatarkovic of Kona Les Gets, plus other top dogs on board, to get into the Czech 4X Cup final means to have damn brilliant World Cup level skills.

Just come and try! The first of five rounds of Ruhrbau 4X Cup 2007 is just round the corner. We will start in Moravian town Prerov on forthcoming weekend with training on Saturday June 2^nd and race day on Sunday June 3^rd.

Then we will have three races in August. Round #2 will take a place in another Moravian town Sumperk. Week after that, for the very first time the Czech 4X Cup moves across the Czech boarders even. We are happy to announce that to many top European 4X riders well known track in Polish Szczawno Zdrój will host round #3. Another two weeks later will be Prague the place to come! The only 4X track inside any world’s capital, called Polis XIII that was opened with huge SEAT 4X Masters in May 2006 is ready to host top 4X riders again. The last round will be in Litomerice, not so far from northern of Prague. The course there was changed before each race but always the top of what we have here in the Czech Republic.

The Ruhrbau 4X Cup 2007:

02.-03.06. Prerov

04.-05.08. Sumperk

11.-12.08. Szczawno Zdroj in Poland

25.-26.08. Prague Polis XIII

22.-23.09. Litomerice

Event schedule applicable to round #1 in Prerov

Saturday 02.06.2007:

16:00 – 17:00 4X + DMJ Registration

17:00 – 18:00 4X Training without the gate

17:00 – 19:00 DMJ Training

18:00 – 19:00 4X Gate training

Sunday 03.06.2007:

08:30 – 10:30 4X + DMJ Registration

09:00 – 10:30 4X Training without the gate

10:00 – 11:00 DMJ Training

10:30 – 11:00 4X Gate training

11:15 – 11:30 4X + DMJ Riders meeting

12:00 – 13:00 4X Qualification (one run against the clock)

13:10 – 13:50 DMJ Qualification

14:00 4X First round of the race

After 4X finals DMJ Final round

After DMJ final 4X + DMJ Awards ceremony

4X = Czech Fourcross Cup

DMJ = Dirt Mountainbike Jam (dirt jumping contest)

Categories

1) Elite: Male and female riders from age 15. UCI licence requested. Top experienced riders.

2) Expert: Male and female riders from age 15. UCI licence requested. Beginners and advanced riders.

Compulsory equipment

1) Elite: Official certified helmet.

2) Expert: Official certified full face helmet | Full finger gloves | Hard shell elbow guards | Hard shell knee guards | Hard shell full spine guard

Starting fee

1) Elite: 250 CZK at the Saturday registration / 200 CZK at the Sunday registration

2) Expert: 200 CZK at the Saturday registration / 150 CZK at the Sunday

3) Number plate: 100 CZK (one for all 2007 races)

Prize money

1) Elite: 5.000 CZK | 3.000 CZK | 2.000 CZK | 1.000 CZK

2) Expert: Various products for top 4 riders.

Important notes:

01) Registration is possible only on site but you can fill out and sign the application form at home. See the form in the attachment.

02) Foreign riders invited to Ruhrbau 4X Cup.

03) Czech 4X Championship in not included into the Ruhrbau 4X Cup. For Czech riders only!

04) All riders younger than 18 years need written agreement signed by their parents!

05) No shuttles available in Prerov due to the local situation.

06) All journalists and photographers need the accreditation. After filling up and signing the form at the race office on site, they will get the Media pass. It is not possible to enter the race course zone without this!

07) Results and official information are available on www.4X.cz and www.MTBS.cz but only in Czech language. Do not hesitate to contact us with your requests via e-mail at info@polis.cz or via Skype with using the nick zdenek-pol

08) “The Firebirds” on the poster (from right to left) are: Kamil Tatarkovic, Lukas Tamme, Tomas Haluza and Petr Muhlhans

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:34:35 AM | MTB

Bringing the silver from Champéry

Michal Prokop, the factory rider of Author and reigning 4X World Champion and World Cup winner comes with the silver from second round of the UCI Fourcross World Cup held in Swiss ski resort Champéry this past weekend.

Starting early after the start of Friday’s qualification on the wet and slippery but drying course, Michal finished over one second ahead of the rest of the world with only one exception. Brian Lopes starting from some reason at the end of the pack was just flying on the almost dry course in the fastest time.

As every day of last week in Champéry, the rain came also on Saturday afternoon. Shortly after beginning of the 1/16 final, just before Michal’s first round, few minutes of very hard rain, upper part of the race course have changed into real water fall. Deep mud, very slippery stones in the rock garden and asphalted turns, it all made the race very challenging. Once again, Michal demonstrated a set of amazing starts and excellent first turn moves all the way to the final round. There were three Red Bull riders on the gate of the last round of the day. Michal Prokop, Filip Polc and Gee Atherton. Last but not the least was Brian Lopes.

Michal presented another Holeshot and was leading the pack. It doesn't happen very often that someone can resist Michal Prokop's pedal power and riding skills. But during Saturday’s 4X finals in the rainy beauty of the Swiss Alps Brian Lopes provided good move on Michal in the rock garden and toke the lead. On a course which started with a mountain bike layout and ended in a parking lot the World Cup Champion of 2005 managed to stay in front of the Czech rocket all the way through the finish line. Silver in Champéry and third place in the World Cup standing after two races for Michal.

“Coming home from the land of world’s most precise watches makes me confused. I fell off two times in the training but thanks to great working UFO body protectors I always stood up without problem. After all, second place behind Brian is good one. That man is just amazing and we all would be lucky to be in such a shape at his age. On the other hand, it was not a race that I could really enjoy. Why to organize the World Cup race where it looks like people are neither happy nor proud to host such a top class event?! They call it the World Cup but many local events are way better organized. I don’t see any other reason why to organize that important race there, except because it is so close to the UCI headquarters. Most of us are traveling thousands kilometers to make a good show with hope also promoters will make their best. Some do, some not… unfortunately!

I believe Phil Saxena made his best to build this race course but I really missed more flow. So short first straight followed by soft flat turn was maybe spectacular but at first it was great place for dangerous moves! You know this new idea of tracks combining downhill like and BMX like sections is basically ok but it is not possible to build any 100% working race course without a chance to test it before the World Cup race. We need to improve the courses step by step. To change this part and that, make new turn or a straight, add a rock garden…. Not to remove everything and start from zero again! To build brand new course on a green field for every single World Cup round is expensive and stupid. For example, I like the course in Mont Sainte Anne. It is still on the same place and they just improve it every year a bit. That works!

Someone said that those new school DH like tracks are here because of pursuit to get DH riders back to fourcross. Forget it until UCI will change the World Cup weekend schedule. Nobody can stop DH session and jump on his 4X bike at the same moment. Those guys are tired and have another trainings and race next day! Did anybody think how dangerous is to race fourcross after so many hours of training on such a slope like in Champéry?! So, the World Cup schedule is something to think about. Why to spend so much time in a sleeping ski resort waiting for one hour long show? Are we all that rich?! We are not downhillers, our race courses are ten times shorter and remain almost the same during a day. We could easily have two races during four days… Or, what about to have two hours training session on Friday afternoon, another hour and a half on Saturday a.m. followed by qualification? Then short warm up and finals on Saturday afternoon or night? Just an idea.”

Next weekend will be free of racing for Michal, so the promotion events are on the schedule. On Tuesday June 12 Michal will attend Autosalon, the biggest car show here taking place in Brno ready to sign hundreds of posters on SEAT booth. Day after, there will be traditional downtown cross country race called “Prazske schody” where another autograph session of Mr. Prokop is scheduled.

Next race will be the UEC BMX European Championships taking place in Kampen, the Netherlands on the weekend of 23-24^th June. Unfortunately, because of this Olympic qualification event, Michal can’t attend round three of the UCI 4X World Cup taking place in his favorite venue Mont Sainte Anne in Canada.

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:25:43 AM | MTB

The Podium Machine

Two days. Two races. Two disciplines. Two victories! The numbers are quite easy when speaking about the Podium Machine. Michal Prokop, factory rider of Author, got top Czech National Series events of two different disciplines under his control this past weekend.

On Saturday Michal was racing his own race during the round #3 of Czech BMX Championships in Brno. Technical problems with the gate, strong rain-shower, event schedule delay… nothing stopped Michal on his way on top of the podium.

Because of late finals in Brno, Michal lost Saturday’s training session of the first round of Ruhrbau 4X Cup 2007 held in Prerov, about 100 km north of Brno. But he was there still on time for a short party session so important for the event promotion ;)

Rain all the night and also in the morning helped the track to be ready for the real mountainbiking. Totally different conditions from BMX racing often on concrete runways. Slippery course was drying during the training session and everything looked fine with TV cameras all around the track. Unfortunately, Michal’s finger got hurt badly during the cleaning of bike right before the qualification round. No problem for a though guy… a little while afterwards Michal toke the second qualification time. The rest of the afternoon was just Michal’s game. First in all the rounds, first in the final, second win within a weekend. He spent more time giving the TV interview than on the course.

Almost half an hour of 4X racing will be broadcasted on the channel CT4 Sport of Czech Television, the public service broadcaster in the Czech Republic on Thursday June 7^th at 18:40 and replied day after at 10:30 and also on Saturday June 9^th at 19:45.

Next race will be the UCI 4X World Cup #2 taking place in Champéry, Switzerland already on this Saturday.

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:23:56 AM | MTB

Ready for Vigo

Michal Prokop and his fourcross weapon are 100% ready for the first round of the UCI 4X World Cup 2007 taking place in Spanish Vigo this weekend. Both qualification tonight and race tomorrow are going to be real challenge on this though “new school” 4X course… Stay tuned and keep fingers crossed;)

I am so excited to present a lot of news in current World Champion’s career… Michal decided to continue riding Author bikes in another two years! As you already probably know, you will see him driving SEAT cars once again, wearing race kit of UFO Plast race wear and protectors completed with stylish Smith Optics eyewear. And the hottest news of today is: Michal is flying on Red Bull wings!!!

You can find some brand new and interesting stuff also on Prokop’s weapon. Please let me introduce the second generation of Author Prokop 4X frame equipped with number of hot parts. Do not miss Hayes Stroker brakes, KORE Torsion BFD bars, B52 stem or prototype I-Beam saddle. Shaman Racing is coming with a limited silver edition of their 4X Pro Carbon chainguide. What else? Well-proven Manitou Minute fork and Kenda Nevegal tires for example. We are proud to welcome aboard SRAM X.0 gearing, Truvativ Holzfeller OCT cranksets and SunRinglé Charger wheels! Special thanks go to SlimGrafix for the cool and shiny paints of all new helmet and frame.

Top secret! The generation three of Author Prokop 4X frame will come to be ready for the second part of 2007 season to help Michal at his battle for the third World Champion title.

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:22:06 AM | MTB

Prokop and Author together for another two years

Prokop and Author together for another two years Those Czechs from beautiful Prague decided to continue showing the rest of the World who is the king of fourcross in another two years. Michal Prokop and Author are already two times Fourcross World Champions and two times Fourcross World Cup Winners. Now they decided to go east – Beijing 2008 direction – hand by hand again.

Since Michal Prokop jumped on Author bikes four years ago, he dominated most of fourcross races he did attend. Prokop became the face of Author, the leader of Czech cycling industry and top player on the European market. Two years ago, the Author Prokop 4X frame joined the wide range of Author products and still is the first choice of most of either Czech or foreign 4X riders. Also A-Gang P.M. – the top model of Author product line for kids loving massive jumps – was designed in association with Michal Prokop and signed by this hard working champ himself. Wheels were turning pretty fast, four years of successful cooperation left and this winning couple just didn’t see any reason why to split their ways.

Year 2006 was just amazing for Michal Prokop and Author! Racing every single weekend and living on the podium continually since May till October all around the Globe. One day earning points for the BMX Olympics, few days after mastering the World of mountain bikers. Second rainbow jersey in his wardrobe, second World Cup trophy on it when being ten years younger his greatest rivals. Beating big names globálky and giving pride to thousands fans home in the Czech Republic.

“You know, to go ahead with Author, it was an easy decision. When I look back, it is just amazing to see what everything a bunch of guys with the same passion from the small and young European country achieved. I am proud to take all the nedala on Author bikes. I ride frames made exactly in accordance to what I feel to be the best for me. You can stop and buy some of them in a bike shop near you some time. I can ride top bikes no matter what I am going to do, training on road, flying above my trails or working hard on the velodrome. These guys helped my career a lot and would be sweet to bring them a medal with five circles on it. I am always doing my best, either in the gym or on the track, but this dream will cost much more. Luckily, Author is hearing my needs and this new contract we just signed is the proper one. I will need eighteen quiet months without any financial or material stress to be ready for the Olympics and this is exactly what I am getting now. Thanks for that!”

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:19:04 AM | MTB

Who’s da King? Michal Prokop!

What do you need to achieve to be crowned a King of the Czech cycling of a year? Not that much... Two World Champion titles, two World Cup titles, ten World Cup wins, two European Champion titles, two Jeep King of the Mountain titles, gold from SEAT 4X Masters, silver from UCI BMX Supercross, final at BMX Worlds and 90% of Olympic qualification ranking points for your country seem to be enough.

Michal Prokop is the King of the Czech cycling 2006! Since 1966 Czech Cycling Union officials and selected sports journalists did vote 27 athletes including one queen all presenting traditional disciplines of road or track cycling. Also the cycle cross and cycle-ball already had their multiple kings. Luckily not only for the Czech fourcross and BMX community, we have Michal Prokop, the unique guy breaking through all the limits. And thanks to Michal, after long 41 years of the oldest sports award here in the Czech Republic, first ever fat tire King was finally crowned.

"This crown belongs not just to me but to all the people working so hard to support me on my way day be day for many years. My family, coach, agent, sponsors, Author gangsters and fans have to have their own crowns. Hopefully, the power of this award helps fourcross and BMX to be taken by public media as the serious ways of cycling. I am happy to be the first ever Czech rider bringing the deserved pride to all the fans of fat tires. For a long time we had to fight hard to be taken as a real part of the Czech Cycling Union with all the rights and now it looks that we really are. I will work hard to confirm this next year again but you know, it is just award and it is not all in my hands, legs or bike, it is about what people think about what you do. Votes are not the same as race results."

Add Comment posted 6/12/2007 11:10:20 AM | MTB

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