Petr Vakoč (born 11 July 1992) is a Czech cyclist, who currently competes in gravel racing.

Career

2013

2013 was Prague-born Vakoč's first year as a professional, riding for Etixx–IHNed, the development team of Omega Pharma–Quick-Step. In June, he won the Okolo Slovenska stage race at the age of 20. His success continued when with ann overall victory in the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid sub-23, the under-23 version of the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid. In August Vakoč won the 1.2 event Grand Prix Královéhradeckého kraje, five seconds ahead of Josef Hosek.

2014

After Vakoč's successes in 2013, he was offered a contract with Omega Pharma–Quick-Step. He finished 10th overall and won a stage at the Tour de Pologne, a UCI World Tour event. He also placed second in both the Czech National Road Race and Time Trial Championships.

2015

In 2015, Vakoč won the Czech National Road Race Championships, finished 11 seconds ahead of Leopold König. In May, he rode his first Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, finishing 116th overall. Later that year, he claimed victory in the Czech Cycling Tour, one of his country’s most prominent races, and also won a stage of the Tour of Britain. Representing the Czech Republic at the European Games, Vakoč earned a bronze medal in the road race.

2016

Vakoč found success in one-day races during his fourth professional season, winning three notable events. He claimed victory at both the Classic Sud-Ardèche and La Drôme Classic on consecutive days in February. In April, he secured the biggest win of his career at the Brabantse Pijl, a 1.HC race in Belgium. However, would prove to be his final professional victory. He was later named in the start list for the 2016 Tour de France.

Injury and recovery

In January 2018, Vakoč and his teammate Laurens De Plus were injured during a training camp in South Africa when they were struck by a truck. Vakoč sustained multiple broken vertebrae, requiring spinal surgery and a lengthy recovery that included relearning how to walk. After spending the remainder of 2018 recuperating, he returned to competition at the 2019 Vuelta a San Juan.

Alpecin–Fenix

Vakoč joined Alpecin–Fenix for the 2020 season. He rode for the team in the 2021 Tour de France. In October 2021, he announced his retirement from professional road cycling at the age of 29, following the Giro del Veneto that month. In February 2022, it was announced that Vakoč would join the UCI Mountain Bike Team Canyon Northwave to compete in marathon mountain bike races.

Major results

Gravel

2023

UCI World Series 1st Świeradów-Zdrój 1st Berja

2nd Unbound Gravel 200

2nd SBT GRVL

6th European Championships

2024

UCI World Series 1st La Monsterrato 2nd Suisse 2nd Champéry 3rd Gatehouse of Fleet 3rd Hegau 3rd Girona

1st Overall Santa Vall 1st Prologue

1st The Traka 200

3rd Belgian Waffle Ride California

3rd MČR Gravel

2025

UCI World Series 1st Gatehouse of Fleet

2nd Overall Sahara Gravel 1st Stage 4

2nd Overall Santa Vall

2nd La Bescanonina

4th Sea Otter Classic

4th The Hills

Mountain bike

2022

UCI Marathon Series 2nd Jelenia Góra

5th Marathon, UEC European Championships

Road

2010

2nd Overall Tour du Pays de Vaud 1st Stage 3

3rd Road race, National Junior Championships

3rd Overall Course de la Paix Juniors

5th Brno–Velká Bíteš–Brno

2011

1st Time trial, National Under-23 Championships

2013

1st Overall Okolo Slovenska 1st Young rider classification

1st Overall Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid Sub-23 1st Points classification 1st Stage 1

1st Grand Prix Královéhradeckého kraje

2nd Road race, UEC European Under-23 Championships

2nd Memorial Van Coningsloo

3rd Time trial, National Under-23 Championships

4th Overall Czech Cycling Tour 1st Points classification 1st Stage 4

4th Memorial Jana Veselého

2014 (1 pro win)

World University Championships 1st Road race 1st Time trial

National Championships 2nd Road race 2nd Time trial

5th Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana

10th Overall Tour de Pologne 1st Stage 2

2015 (3)

National Championships 1st Road race 3rd Time trial

1st Overall Czech Cycling Tour 1st Stage 1 (TTT)

1st Stage 2 Tour of Britain

3rd Road race, European Games

7th Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes 1st Young rider classification

2016 (3)

1st Brabantse Pijl

1st Classic Sud-Ardèche

1st La Drôme Classic

2nd Overall Tour La Provence 1st Young rider classification

2nd Grand Prix de Wallonie

National Championships 3rd Time trial 4th Road race

5th Road race, UEC European Championships

5th Overall Tour du Haut Var 1st Young rider classification

5th Strade Bianche

9th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

2017

National Championships 2nd Time trial 3rd Road race

2nd Brabantse Pijl

6th Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

7th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

8th Binche–Chimay–Binche

10th Overall BinckBank Tour

2019

National Championships 3rd Road race 3rd Time trial

2020

3rd Road race, National Championships

6th Paris–Tours

9th Overall Czech Cycling Tour

9th Overall Tour de Luxembourg

2021

10th La Drôme Classic

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Grand Tour2015201620172018201920202021
Giro d'Italia116
Tour de France118118
Vuelta a EspañaDid not contest during his career

Classics results timeline

Monument20142015201620172018201920202021
Milan–San Remo132
Tour of Flanders70
Paris–RoubaixDid not contest during his career
Liège–Bastogne–Liège73DNF1489439
Giro di Lombardia5353DNF52DNF
Classic20142015201620172018201920202021
Strade Bianche52760DNF15
Brabantse Pijl3461122739DNF
La Flèche Wallonne1221071268741
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec3297Not held
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal135213
Paris–Tours6
Legend
Did not compete
DNFDid not finish

External links