Massage therapist who had to race the World Championships for Slovakia did better than expected: 'It was amazing'

Kovacik’s story has been told countless times, but for those who missed it: Slovakia faced a major problem ahead of the World Championships. They couldn’t put together a team, and not participating would result in a massive deduction of points, which would have far-reaching consequences. And so Kovacik, the Slovaks’ 28-year-old massage therapist, had to put on a jersey.

In 2016, he was still racing at the continental level, but it had been a long time since he’d actually competed. And racing in a World Championship is completely crazy. “When they told me I’d be racing, I could only smile,” he told TV JOJ. “But the closer the day got, the more stressed I became. I couldn’t even open my phone or social media, because the moment I opened Instagram, my photo was everywhere. I’m not used to that.”

On the day of the event, his nerves reached a peak. Kovacik had to speak to the press and introduce himself to thousands of Canadians on the starting podium. “When I stepped onto the podium, I was so stressed that I couldn’t even find my number on the registration form,” he laughs. “But after all the interviews, and after the start, things got better.”

The question was whether he would be able to keep up with the pros for the first 100 kilometers on flat terrain. “Our coach, Jakub Vanco, just told me to enjoy it, and I wanted to test myself and see how many kilometers I could hang on. For the first fifteen to twenty kilometers, I tried to stay at the back, but in the end I was even able to move up a bit and get into the top thirty percent.”

The mustachioed Slovak was extremely pleased with his performance. His teammates noticed it, too. “I was happy that I was able to stay with the peloton at an average speed of 47 kilometers per hour all the way to the local circuit. I was glad I made it across the bridge. A few of the biggest names in professional cycling came up to me during the race, shook my hand, and said some nice things. It was amazing.”

On the first pass through the Voie Camilien-Houde, the course’s toughest stretch, Kovacik was dropped. He dismounted on the first pass through the finish line. Now he’s returning to normal life, but he’ll be traveling to Slovenia for the next major race. “I just got home today, but tomorrow I’ll be heading to the European Championships.” And as a rider again? “This time, really just as a masseur,” he concludes.