Although his victories this year came at the national championships and Tour de Wallonie, it was at the Giro d’Italia where his presence in the first week was key to Mads Pedersen’s early domination of the race and conquest of the maglia ciclamino. Since then, the two have often been close, and the American team is keen on keeping the duo together into 2026 in hopes of further success. This means Vacek will be at the Tour de France, in a lineup that has taken shape significantly today.
Last year you were in beast mode in some races. How are you going to translate that to better results for yourself? Because you were a very good team player last year. How are you going to translate that to results for yourself this season?
Basically, for next season, for sure, I want to keep the same approach, I would say. To be a team player and really be loyal to the leaders of the races. I know that I will do the main race programme with Mads (Pedersen, ed.). He’s going to be, of course, the number one leader in the team for a lot of races. But I also know that he always gives me a free hand or a chance to go for myself. So it’s not really a conservative racing. I want to be open and that’s where I can also use my mastery. I’m really looking forward to race with him. To take my chances also and do the best out of it.
Last year you were, I think, one of the strongest guys in the opening weekend in Belgium. Are those also on your programme because Mads won’t ride there?
Yes, for now, it looks like I will only do Omloop [Het Nieuwsblad]. I will pair it with the training camp in Mallorca with Mads. From there on, I will do races with Mads. I think the only one I will not do with him is Omloop.
Mathias, you’re a bit of a jack of all trades. You can climb, you can ride the classics, you can even sprint very well. In 2026, are you still going to try to be good in all terrains? Or are you going to focus on one specific to try and stand out more?
I will for sure try to be good in every terrain again. I know that for sure if I would focus only to be good in the climbs, for sure I cannot follow the best climbers. For sure, I will lose the power in the flat or in the hilly races. I will try to keep the balance between the power and the climbing. I will do that and just pair it with some leadouts for Mads like when we were in the Giro stages, where we are really strong and we want to keep this approach for next season. Just focus on that to win as many races as possible.
That means you’re also going to race the Tour with Mads, I assume?
Yeah, now it looks like I will race.
You’re going to share his calendar with Mats a lot. Do you have, besides Omloop, other races where you already know that you can have your own individual ambitions?
Yes, there will for sure be some races. Probably also in the Tour, you know, some stages where you get a free hand or just going straight away and try to do the best out of it. I’m really not worried to not get enough chances. It’s a good thing for me. Of course, after the Tour, I don’t really know the programme yet.
I’m doing everything step by step, just focussing now on the classics, then on the Tour. Then what’s after the Tour, I’m really having a clear plan for what’s coming in four or five months. For sure, with the national team, Europeans and Worlds, this is also a main objective for this season. I’m also strong, that’s also one of my big goals, to be good at something. Like I said, there will be a lot of opportunities for me and I will always find a way to get my chances with the team.
What are your thoughts about, like, this is a little bit of a strange season with the Worlds on the other side of the world. The build-up between the Tour and the Worlds, what’s the most ideal? Because I don’t think the Vuelta is ideal in that package. How do you think about that?
It’s still far away, but I would say just after the Tour, it will be a bit easier. Because I know the shape will be top, it should be top for the Tour and it will be probably top after the Tour. So I will keep it on the easier side and just, yeah, I will try to keep the shape until the Worlds. Because I will probably look at Montreal and stay there, stay there until the Worlds. Because I really don’t want to travel too much, you know, with the jet lag and everything. Just try also to regain the motivation after the Tour, because it’s not easy, of course. Because it’s a hard race, it’s the hardest race for me. So, yeah, just to take a good rest after and do some good preparation for the Worlds.
So perhaps maybe Renewi Tour, which has a time trial and the last stage in Geraardsbergen. Is that something that could be in that build-up?
Yeah, for sure, Renewi Tour is a good race for me. Yeah, if I don’t crash, of course. But, yeah, it’s a really attractive race, you know, with echelons and some combos and everything. What I like, so it’s definitely a good race to do. Yeah, we will see what will be the plan, but definitely if we decide we’re going to do these races, then I will go full for it and just want to do my best, of course.
Mathias, I read somewhere that you said you wanted to be Mads’ primary helper. How has his evaluation of your work been?
Yeah, I mean, until now we just did a few races with each other. For the Giro, that was probably the breaking point really. So, we really can do good when we are racing with each other. Yeah, I also have a really good relationship with him. For me, the atmosphere when we are racing together, it’s just a winning mentality with him. He can motivate all the team to really give 120% in the races.
I mean, that’s what I like about it and now that we have done such a great Giro with him, he saw that we have probably similar qualities, that we can always help each other somehow out and be there for each other to win the races. Yeah, of course, we found each other there and we want to build on it, of course. For the Classics, it will be important to work really well together and understand each other. That’s why we are spending a lot of time now with each other. We will be 100% prepared for the races. As you say, you have a lot of similar qualities and work points.
He is a bit older than you. Do you see that in the future you could take his place as the leader in the Classics?
That’s the plan. We will see. I am still learning a lot from him. Every year is something new. There is still a long way to get in his position. I know I don’t have the qualities to be there in his position all the time. I really believe that everything pays off now, what I am doing. He also did the hard work to come here in his position where he is now. I really want that he is winning now the races he wants because he can do it like Roubaix and Flanders, it’s his dream to win. I want to help him 100% to achieve this. I know he will come back one day.
Vacek was on the spotlight at this year’s Giro d’Italia. @Sirotti
Your calendar is changing, what adjustments are you doing in terms of preparation?
There is always a calendar. I try to focus on the nearest global race. I am trying to always focus on one race or the Classics. That’s the shape. I just believe in myself. Of course, I pray.
Will you be able to learn and do much in advance for the Classics? Or do you think when you get there that you will be able to put everything into place?
I think now during the training camps we are already adjusting a lot of things for the Classics. The team is also changing a bit for the Classics. That can be really good in one way. We also need to do more recons and riding together. Knowing each other, knowing our qualities. Then we will see how it goes at the Classics. I think from now on we really have a strong team for the Classics, we can be really confident that we can do really good.