“We had planned to start at the European Championships, but unfortunately after the injury in Tomaszów, when I had a problem with my groin and adductor, we had to change our plans. I couldn’t even go to the gym for the training camp before Christmas, I couldn’t ride on the ice or run from the beginning either . The only thing I could do was ride a bike,” said Sáblíková.
Together with coach Petr Novák, they therefore agreed that he would not travel to the Netherlands, where the EC will take place on individual tracks from Friday to Sunday. “I’m not as prepared as I’d like to be. That’s why we’ve decided to skip the championships and I’ll focus on preparing for the rest of the season. The two final World Cups in Salt Lake City and Québec, and then the World Track Championships and quadruple,” she said.
She missed the continental championship due to health reasons in the previous two years as well. In the past, Sáblíková won twelve medals, including five gold ones. The Czech Republic will be represented in Heerenveen by Zuzana Kuršová, Lucie Korvasová and Nikol Nepokojová, who will also compete in the team sprint.
The fifth edition of the World Cup will take place in Salt Lake City from January 26 to 29, and Sáblíková will defend second place in the series behind Norwegian Ragne Wiklund. The most important event for the native of Nové Město na Moravá will be the world championship on individual tracks in mid-February in Calgary. “We’ll see how we manage to adjust our form. But I’m looking forward to the next races and hope that everything will be fine,” she said.
