Radomir Radek Simunek

During the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, Radomir Simunek developed into a top-class cyclo-cross rider. In spite of two world titles with the amateurs in 1983 and 1984, he was not allowed to transfer to the professional riders. After all, for the Czech cyclists association Simunek was the showpiece who could be shown off in the West. The national Czech team rode numerous races in the Netherlands and Belgium each winter and the cyclists association always collected the starting fees.
Radomir Simunek was a technical cyclo-cross rider, who was encouraged by his cousin Milos Fisera to also start cyclo-cross racing. He became champion of his country two years in a row with the novices and made a name for himself internationally in 1980 when he became the first junior world champion in Wetzikon. In 1982 he won the silver world championship medal with the amateurs in Lanarvilly. His cousin Milos Fisera prolonged his world title there. A year later, Simunek took over the mastery.
After his stormy debut as an amateur, Simunek fell back strongly. Setbacks and illness kept him outside the Czech world championship team both in 1985 and in 1987. He underwent surgery to his knee on three occasions and also had heart problems for some time. But the classy Simunek got back to the highest level. In 1989 he dominated the world championships in Pont-Château, where he prepared the final sprint for his fellow-countryman Ondrej Glajza. In recognition of services rendered, the Czech cyclists association then allowed him to become a professional rider. Six months after that the Iron Curtain fell, leaving the road open to professionalism for each Czech cyclist.
At the world championships in Getxo, Simunek appeared to be able to reach for the power with the professional riders, but in the last lap a dislodged sew-up ruined it. One year later he took revenge. In Gieten he was the first Czech to win the world title with the professional cyclo-cross riders by beating Adri van der Poel in the final sprint. That season he also won the Super Prestige cyclo-cross. Simunek became the first rider who was able to break through the Dutch-Belgian hegemony in this regularity classification. The following season, the Czech also ruled the Super Prestige. He won three races, ended in second place five times and was the overall winner by a mile lead. Simunek won this classification three times.
At the end of 1992, the Czech was out of circulation for a long time, because he broke his two feet in a frontal collision with his car. Three policemen in the other car died in that accident. Simunek was therefore sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, of which he eventually only had to serve a few months in 1994. Simunek made a remarkable comeback with a victory in the SP cyclo-cross in Pilzen at the end of 1994. At the world championships he did not get further than a fifth place in 1998 in Middelfart and a seventh place in 1999 in Poprad. With eleven national titles and four world titles Radomir Simunek is the most successful Czech cyclo-cross rider in history. He won the world title in all categories and as a result still holds a unique record.

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