After 11 years in Ski Classics, one of the Czech teams, the Vltava Fund Ski Team, which often challenged for a spot in the top ten of the Pro Tour, is coming to an end. How do Team Director Josef Korhoň and main sponsor Daniel Gladiš look back on their years in the prestigious long-distance series?

An era comes to an end. One of the Czech teams, known for its striking sky-blue suits and 11 years of participation in Ski Classics, is coming to an end. The team was often labeled as “Moravian” because most members, from management and service staff to some athletes, came from that region. Initially operating under the name Atlas, then as the Atlas Craft Team, the team later became the Vltava Fund Ski Team, and in its final season, it was known as the eD system Vltava Fund Team.

The Team Director was Josef Korhoň, who also sponsored the team in its early seasons. He was later significantly supported, financially and otherwise, by the main sponsor Daniel Gladiš from Vltava Fund. Bezky.net spoke with both key figures to learn how it feels to leave the long-distance skiing series Ski Classics after such a long time.

Interview with Josef Korhoň – Team Director

You spent 11 seasons as team director in Ski Classics. How do you evaluate them?

“A great learning experience. We started from scratch and made it to the Top 10. In the first years, I funded everything myself – we had no other sponsors. After four years, when I was still racing as an amateur, I had to stop competing to fully focus on the team – organizing accommodation, logistics, attending meetings, providing nutrition and support, and all the rest. You do everything possible to keep the team running, but we always had only a few irreplaceable athletes. Often, injuries or illnesses hit us, and our points would drop. We aimed to have mainly Czech athletes and gradually brought in some from abroad.”

As team director, you had a lot of responsibilities. Will the end of the team be a relief from the winter rush, or are you mostly sad about it?

“I run a business that’s seasonal – mostly in the summer – so I’ve had relatively free winters. I definitely won’t be bored. Of course, I feel nostalgia. Over the years, we built a great team of service staff, investors, and athletes, all based on friendship. It was definitely worth it.”

What is your favorite memory?

“There are many. I was always happiest when our Czech athletes did well. When the guys finished in the Top 20, that was a great result for us. One highlight was Petr Novák’s 7th place at Kaiser Maximilian Lauf in Seefeld – he was still leading 500 meters before the finish. Or Jan Šrail’s amazing 8th place in the individual time trial in Orsa Grönklitt. We watched him on TV because he didn’t need assistance on the course, and we couldn’t believe it when he was passing through in 3rd place.

Fabián Štoček also had great performances – he won the sprint prize at Jizerská 50 and finished 2nd and 3rd with Jan in the sprint at the tough Reistadløpet. And we can’t forget the amazing team result in Pontresina, where we finished 4th in the team time trial.

And speaking of sprints – I remember your performance (Author Adéla Ročárková) at Jizerská 50 when you didn’t know there was a sprint bonus at Jizerka. You could have easily won it. You ended up 4th overall – the best result ever by one of our female athletes. Sandra Schützová also had several great Top 10 results for the team.”

Words from Daniel Gladiš – Main Sponsor

Daniel, you sponsored the team for eight seasons and eventually became the title sponsor. What motivated you, and what did supporting the team mean to you?

“I live in Brno and often go to train in Nové Město na Moravě. I used to bump into you (Author Adéla Ročárková) and your husband Jiří Ročárek during training sessions. At the time, both of you were racing for Atlas Craft Team in Ski Classics and other events. You were kind of my gateway into team sponsorship. The support began rather spontaneously – first with small amounts as a secondary sponsor, and then more and more as the main sponsor.

I love skiing, I enjoy being around the athletes and races, and it brings me joy to support Czech skiers in their sport.”

Why is the team ending?

“Nothing lasts forever. Everything in life has its time, and this chapter is simply closing. It’s been eight or nine beautiful years, and I’ll always remember them fondly. I’ve met many interesting people and made a lot of new friends. I got to experience the races up close and even raced quite a bit myself over the years. I have so many wonderful memories. I’m truly happy I was able to be part of it all. The whole time, I felt like we were one big family.”

Are you sad the team ended, or how do you feel about it?

“Looking back, I think we should have ended a year earlier. Many people warned us before the merger with the eD system team, and now I see they were right. The team didn’t function, and for me – and honestly, for most of the original Vltava Fund Ski Team members – it was a big disappointment. There was no joy in it anymore.

But I’ve come to terms with it. I simply see it as things evolving the way they did, and the team coming to an end. I think this development was inevitable, and I view it all positively. It’s happened to me several times in life that when one door closes, another opens. Maybe this is just another one of those situations.”

Also Read
2 in 1: The merger of two Czech Pro Teams – Part 1
2 in 1: The merger of two Czech Pro Teams – Part 2

Many talented athletes passed through the team, often thanks to your efforts. Which names and successes do you remember most fondly?

“There are a lot of names, and I remember all of them positively. When I started sponsoring the team, Petr Novák was the star. Then there were Jirka Ročárek, Adéla Boudíková, and Pavel Ondrášek. And for many years – right up to this season – Fabián Štoček. Later, we had names like Sandra Schützová, Jan Šrail, and others.

Over the years, we also had several foreign skiers from different countries. Among the better-known ones were Swedish skiers Maria Gräfnings and Hedda Bångman, and Ari Luusua from Finland. It was an honor for me to have them in the team and to watch how they prepared and raced. I also made friends with service techs, organizers, and team managers. It’s a great community, and I’m sure we’ll continue seeing each other on the snow and at races.”

Do you have any vision of supporting another athlete or team, even in another sport?

“Not yet – I’m taking a moment to step back and clear my head. But knowing myself, sooner or later, I’ll definitely come up with something.”

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