First laps at fourteen
First attempts at speedway in Plzeň, training in Pardubice and at Markéta in Prague – straight on a 500 cc bike.
Heat one
The story in four laps
Born in Plzeň on 11 July 1989 and now living in Prague, he first rode a speedway bike at 14, had his first race at 15 – and went on to spend sixteen seasons racing in 18 countries on 3 continents.
The Czech Extraliga, British leagues and the Polish Ekstraliga, plus Sweden, Denmark and Germany – and winters in Argentina and Australia.
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Beginnings 2003–2006
First attempts in Plzeň, straight on a 500 cc bike. In 2004 a move to Prague, his first junior races at 15 and a place at the Interior Ministry Sports Centre. A year later a broken back in a crash at a junior meeting in Prague – and in 2006 his first national title, in the Czech Pairs as a reserve, plus victory in the Heathersfield Golden Helmet, a junior meeting in Glasgow.
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Europe 2007–2010
A contract with Berwick in England, a heavy crash and, 14 days later, bronze in the World Under-21 Team Championship. A junior hat-trick in 2008 and a contract with Rivne in Ukraine, then the Polish Ekstraliga with Unibax Toruń and a silver medal, three autumn challenge matches for Poole Pirates, European Pairs Champion two years running and, in 2010, Czech Individual Champion and winner of the SNP Golden Helmet and the Luboš Tomíček Memorial. Grand Prix wild cards in Prague.
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England and beyond 2011–2019
Redcar Bears, Berwick Bandits and Newcastle Diamonds, with winters in Argentina and Australia. Rider of the Year at Berwick (2014) and at Redcar (2015), and back home three Extraliga titles with Olymp Markéta Praha, whom he captained from 2015 to 2018. A broken leg ended 2018, his last British season; in 2019 he rode only two meetings.
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Chequered flag 2020
On he called time on his racing days. He has stayed with speedway, though: today he co-commentates on speedway broadcasts for Czech TV’s ČT sport.
