{"id":788262,"date":"2026-10-01T06:34:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T06:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/788262\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T06:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T06:34:10","slug":"some-of-the-biggest-names-came-over-during-the-race-to-shake-my-hand-and-say-some-kind-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/788262\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSome of the biggest names came over during the race to shake my hand and say some kind words\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

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He had not competed for nine years. \u201cWhen they told me I was going to race, I just smiled, but the closer the race got, the more stressed I became,\u201d Kovacik told Slovak television channel JOJ after returning home. \u201cI didn\u2019t even dare look at my phone or social media. Every time I opened Instagram, my photo was everywhere, and I\u2019m really not used to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time he reached the pre-race sign-on, the nerves had properly kicked in. \u201cWhen I went up onto the podium, I was so stressed that I couldn\u2019t even find where I was supposed to sign to confirm my presence,\u201d he said. \u201cBut after all the interviews and once the race had started, things got better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf0 \u00c9l es Vladimir Kovacik<\/p>\n

\ud83e\uddb5\ud83c\udffd Es el masajista del equipo eslovaco <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd1d Debido a las bajas de los ciclistas de su equipo, se ha montado en la bici para competir en el Mundial de Ciclismo para evitar que su pa\u00eds baje de categor\u00eda en el ranking UCIpic.twitter.com\/uMtL3aTHBf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tiempo de Juego (@tjcope) September 27, 2026<\/a> More than 100 kilometres at almost 47km\/h<\/p>\n

National coach Jakub Vanco had admitted beforehand that Slovakia\u2019s participation would essentially be formal. Kovacik was there first and foremost to make sure the country had somebody on the start line.<\/p>\n

Once he was actually in the peloton, he wanted to find out how long he could stay there. \u201cOur coach, Jakub Vanco, told me to enjoy it,\u201d Kovacik explained. \u201cI wanted to test myself and see how many kilometres I would be able to last.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first 15 to 20 kilometres, I tried to stay at the back of the peloton, but at times I found myself in the first third of the group,” he added. \u201cI was delighted that I managed to stay with the peloton at an average speed of 47 km\/h until we reached the local circuits, and that I got to ride across the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kovacik eventually survived for more than 100 kilometres of the 273-kilometre race before cramps brought his afternoon to an end.<\/p>\n

By then, even some of the riders around him knew exactly why Slovakia\u2019s masseur was suddenly sharing their World Championship. \u201cSome of the biggest names in professional cycling even came over to me during the race to shake my hand and say some kind words,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a beautiful moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back to the massage table<\/p>\n

There will be no nine-year wait for Kovacik’s next appearance at a major championship, although his role will be rather more familiar. \u201cI only got home today, but tomorrow I\u2019m leaving for the European Championships,\u201d he said. \u201cThis time really as a masseur.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Slovenia, the Slovak riders will once again be the ones pinning on the numbers. Kovacik will be back behind the scenes, only now with an elite World Championship start of his own on the CV.<\/p>\n