Petra Nováková was a constant in the Czech women’s cross-country skiing team, although she was constantly haunted by health problems in her career. She competed in three Olympics, and in the World Cup she reached sixth place. She ended her career this spring, so on Sunday she enjoyed the sensational success of her three-year-younger brother Michal, who finished second in Ruka, purely as a fan.
How did you experience your brother’s silver 20 kilometer race?
I didn’t originally plan to watch it with my parents, but I ended up coming to see them. It was a shame that they didn’t show it live on Czech TV, we had to watch it on the computer in the office. I kept thinking that he should not run out of strength. And then when he flew like lightning in the final climb, it was amazing. Mom had broken her mug about five minutes before, she said maybe it was a sign.
So that was a lucky sign. You had to jump away from the computer when the brother attacked at the end, didn’t you?
Yes, mainly dad jumped. But it was great, my hands were still throbbing after the race. When something like this happens to someone in the family, the adrenaline is all the more pronounced.
After ten years, Michal Novák became the first Czech since Lukáš Bauer to reach the podium in the World Cup. Nevertheless, at the finish line, he slightly blamed himself for the fact that he should have won…
He looked the best of them and the only one who wanted to decide already on the hill. If the brother had not started, probably no one would have started it. That’s how he made the distance, which is very valuable after 20 kilometers. It’s a shame that he wasn’t the first, but at least he’ll know what to do better at the finish next time.
Was it a sign of his character? That he immediately thought how to be even better?
Sure, he is like that. He could have won, but it’s just a what-if. Second place is great.
Of course, various comparisons with Bauer immediately began, and Michal himself said that both of them had to fight their way to the top of the SP. Does it fit? Especially among men, the competition, especially from Norway, is huge.
That’s right, that’s how it generally works in cross-country skiing. One has to absorb many years of hard work to match the world in that condition. Few people jump into the World Cup very young and immediately become among the best. In the Czech environment, everyone has to learn it. Whether it’s a brother, it was Lukáš Bauer, Jakšík (Martin Jakš, note red.), Stamp (Katerina Razymová) or me too.
Michal was already fifth in the SP race, several times in the top ten. But can the first place on the podium be a turning point?
I think he got the feeling that he was the one who could start the spurt and break the pack. I think he gained the confidence to make a decision. It’s important that he doesn’t expect to be on or close to the podium in every race now. So that the environment does not wait and pressure him. The worst thing is the pressure and stress that you allow yourself to get. If he can do it, I believe it will work.
He tries to cooperate on the development of skis, last year he painfully pushed the neuromuscular threshold in preparation, he has a personal coach from Norway. Does it play a big role that he works every year to improve his preparation even more?
At the top level, it’s all about the little things. You still have to work hard, but it’s the little things that make the difference. Lots of men and women are prepared to the max. It is beneficial that the brother tries to give it something new every year.
Last year, he interrupted his studies in order to devote one hundred percent of his energy to cross-country skiing. Did it help him?
I think yes. Practically his whole life was subordinated to skiing, even in terms of his personal life. He interrupted his studies and bet on one card. That’s the difference between him and me, I went on to college. I wanted to have the opportunity to work in a good profession after my career.
In a sport like cross-country skiing, this kind of thinking is necessary, see?
If we were playing tennis, it would be different. However, cross-country skiing is somewhat neglected in the Czech Republic and not very well rated. Those who do not win often do not secure themselves.
At the same time, your brother is being talked about in the sense that he has an aptitude for school. He studied electrical engineering at CTU and in the Czech team he even has the nickname Mr. Computer…
I don’t even know that. (laughter) But yes, he is very interested in programming or robotics. Even at home, he is focused in this direction, he investigates certain things himself. It’s probably a shame, he could be good at it. But he is such that if he wants to, he can learn many things by himself.
Were you pleased with his Sunday result also because you missed the podium in the SP race? Your best is the sixth place from the skiathlon in Lillehammer in 2015.
I am very happy that he succeeded and I can be proud. On the other hand, there is a little worm in me that if I had not been injured so many times, I could have achieved a similar result. It was quite challenging to keep going back. I’m glad that my brother is relatively healthy and uninjured, hopefully he will ride this wave for a long time.
When you ended your career this spring, Michal wrote a post on social networks in which he mentioned you as a role model. Did he start skiing thanks to you?
I do not think so. We were already pushed from home, dad works in Germany and wasn’t home for over a week, mom took us cross-country skiing. Our parents didn’t force us to do it, but they prepared us for cross-country skiing to be in our lives. We wanted to continue skiing by ourselves, we were in a group, we had successes. My brother and I were also driven by a certain ferocity between siblings. One wanted to overtake the other, it was both ferocity and support.
Did he behave badly when you beat him?
(smile) Up to a certain age, probably yes. Then again only he was beating me and I had to accept that I would always be slower.
How is the beginning of winter for you after many years without cross-country skiing and without racing?
I ended up going straight to knee surgery. It was such a jump straight into doing nothing. I am gradually returning to sports and cross-country skiing, I would like to do different sports. But I don’t want to return to top sport anymore, there was enough pressure and stress over the years. However, I like watching and cheering, I have many friends there, in the Czech team and from other countries.
What about professionally? Where do you work and how satisfied are you?
It is my first job relatively in the field, I am satisfied. I work in Mattoni, as a food safety specialist. I’m learning a lot of things, it’s different from school, but I enjoy it.
So working in a lab?
Partly yes, it’s an interesting and varied job.
You have an engineering degree from VŠCHT in Prague. In what field?
I studied a bachelor’s degree in forensic analysis at the Faculty of Food, followed by forensic biological analysis, also on food. The current work is intertwined with some things from school, and the fact that I wanted to stay in Karlovy Vary played a big role for me. It’s not easy to get a job here, I’m glad I did.
During your career you were troubled by problems with your shoulders, hip, knee… Now your body has finally rested a bit?
That’s right, even if it bothers me a little now that I don’t have any performance. When I went jogging for the first time after surgery, I ran for five minutes and then walked for ten. I thought to myself that I will probably never be like I was in the past. But yes, the body has rested and is doing better. I go to sports often, but not in such doses anymore. The body is worn out after a career, but what it has to handle, it handles beautifully.
