A significant change for the Czech long-distance skiing scene was announced today. Two of the most prominent Czech Pro Teams are merging into one strong Ski Classics Pro Team.

The eD system Silvini Team and the Vltava Fund Ski Team announced today that a big change is taking place in long-distance skiing, at least for the Czech Republic skiing scene. Both teams are merging and becoming a new Pro Team named eD system Vltava Fund Team.

These Czech Pro Teams have been active players in Ski Classics for many years, and from now on, they will work together and join forces.

At the Ski Classics Season XV, the eD system Silvini team finished 8th in the Pro Team ranking, and the Vltava Fund Ski Team in 11th place overall. Both teams have a long and successful history, able to get their athletes to the podium in individual races and having some of the best Czech Republic skiers on their squads, which foreign skiers have recently supplemented.

Now, both teams have agreed to work together and join forces. Thus, a new team called the eD system Vltava Fund team has been created. 

“Thus, the race team will get more stable support from the service, with a higher quality of skiers and a more secure form of financing, and other members will get more opportunities for joint training, camps, or driving to races, including service. In short, it should be better for everyone,” says Marek Pazderský, Pro Team Director of Season XIV, in a press release.

Also Read – Marek Pazderský best Pro Team Director Season XIV: “Ski Classics is delivering outstanding work”

Marek Pazdeský will lead the new group together with Josef Korhoň. As the team’s name already indicates, the main partners will be eD system, a leading IT distributor in Central Europe, represented by Mr. Hynk Tyl, and Vltava Fund, represented by Mr. Daniel Gladiš. The third important partner will be the Craft company, which will provide the entire team with high-quality and functional clothing for all sports activities.

In addition, the two service teams (Skiservis Mára and the group around the Ročárk family) are also coming together, which in the past were often able to beat much more extensive and well-financed service teams from Scandinavia, which should bring even more outstanding waxing quality.

According to the Pro Team’s plans, they want to try to finish in the top 10 in each of the Ski Classics events and the Pro Team standings, including winning the position of the best “non-Scandinavian” team.

The team was divided into three interconnected and cooperating sections for these goals. The first is the Race Team, which focuses on performance and its athletes primarily intended for Ski Classics races.

In the men’s field, it will be German Thomas Bing, supplemented by Czechs Jan Šrail, Fabián Štoček, Vašek Sedláček and Aleš Bohatý. On the women’s side, the team’s colors will be defended by Sweden’s Hedda Bångman, Czech Karolína Grohová, Petra Hynčicová, Anna Marie Hejná, Germany’s Laura Stichling, and young French Hanna Fine. 

“We will try to distribute the load among all the competitors so that they can give the best performance and we avoid illnesses and injuries,” says Josef Korhoň.

The second section is the newly established Academy, which is the future of the team and will search for new talents in long-distance skiing. These will gradually be given a chance in the Ski Classics races. This section will also have experienced mentors such as Martin Jakš and Zuzka Kocumová, who should pass on their racing and training experience to the youngsters. 

“We want to train our athletes from the junior age. Slowly but surely, competitors who specialized earlier, and not until the end of their careers in the national team, are starting to win here. At the same time, we are looking for other partners who will help us ensure coaching supervision and quality preparation for young competitors,” says Marek Pazderský, specifying the team’s primary goal in this sector.

The last important part of the team is the broad base of recreational skiers, who are united by a shared passion for exercising in nature.

The basic principle of the team is the mutual connection of all three sections, so that ski enthusiasts have the opportunity to complete individual training sessions and races worldwide with Pro athletes, together with the provision of quality service, and thus benefit from the valuable advice and experience of the best. 

“It’s great to see how many other athletes support us and start, for example, in the Jizerská50,” emphasizes Josef Korhoň.

Currently, the team has completed its first road bike training camp in Italy. During the summer, training will take place individually, with a focus on roller skis and running. Some athletes will also participate in roller ski races in Scandinavia, others in the Czech Republic at the EDVF Skiroll Classics (a series of roller ski races).

Everything culminates in Lipno, where the 55km Ski Classics Challengers event Energamo Lipnolopet takes place at the beginning of October.

Read More: Bing and Janatová winners of Energamo Lipnolopet 2023

Subsequently, the team flies to Mallorca for roller skiing, and then the last two training camps on snow will follow in Davos, Switzerland, and Sjusjøen, Norway.

Also Read – eD system Silvini Team: Thoughts about Season XV