Roman Kreuziger - Team Liquigas

About me

Roman Kreuziger was born on May 6, 1986, in Moravská Třebová. From his childhood he devoted his time to sports. He had a go at football, ice-hockey but his future was decided when he received a road bicycle as a present for his 11th birthday. Since then road cycling has dominated his life. In the early days his father, a retired cyclist and the former under 19 cyclocross World Champion was his mentor, later on, young Roman, a member of the team Škoda Plzeň trained under coaches Raboň and Pečenka, respectively.

At the age of fifteen he joined a junior cycling team called Schumacher in Switzerland where he spent almost four years. After that he wore the colors of the Italian team Podenzano for riders under 23 and since 2006 he has been a member of the team Liquigas, eventually becoming one of its leaders. An excellent climber and very good time trialist he specializes in stage races.

Roman is a graduate of Sports and Business Academy in Plzeň. He is glad to have completed his education as he maintains that one never knows what may happen in sports life, so having a degree is necessity. The city of Plzeň is his permanent residence while in winter he customarily travels to the Lago di Garda region in Italy for his training sessions. He also trains in mountains of the Czech Republic, namely in the surroundings of the village of Horská Kvilda in Šumava. He is fluent in German and Italian and has two sisters, Helena and Tereza.

His father has been a great role model for him. He remains to be his mentor and adviser and if time permits they go out for a bicycle ride together. Despite his young age, Roman is a well-known sports figure all over the Czech Republic. He is a two- time holder of the title the King of the Czech Cycling. In 2008 he was named the 8th best Sportsperson of the Year in the Czech Republic challenging Olympic winners and World champions on the list of other nominees.

Major achievements:

2003
1st overall, Giro della Toscana (under-19)
2nd, European under-19 cyclocross championship in Tabor

2004
1st overall, Giro della Toscana (under-19)
1st, world under-19 road championship in Verona
2st, world under-19 time trial championship in Bardolino
1st overall, world cup under-19
2st, world under-19 time trial championship in Bardolino
2nd, world under-19 cyclocross championship in Pont-Chateau

2005
1st, Wileroltigen (one-day race in Switzerland)
2nd overall, Giro delle Regione (U23)

2006
2nd, Trofeo Cittá di Borgomanero (Italy)

2007
1st, team time trial, Settimana Ciclista Lombarda
1st , the time trial Borgomanero (together with Vicenzo Nibali)
2nd, the stage of Settimana Ciclista Lombarda
2nd, the prologue of Paris-Nice
2nd, the prologue of Tour de Romandie,
2nd, the time trial of Tour of Danmark
6th overall, Tour de Romandie
21st overall, Vuelta a Espaňa

2008
1st overall, Tour de Suisse
1st, the stage of Tour de Suisse
2nd overall, Tour de Romandie
3rd, the stage of Tour de Suisse
5th, the stage of Tour de France
12th overall, Tour de France
2nd overall in the classification of the best young rider at Tour de France
The participant of the Olympics in Beijing (road race)

2009

1st overall, Tour de Romandie (1st, 4th, 5th places)

3rd overall, Tour de Suisse (2x 2nd places)

9th overall, Tour de France (2x 7th places, the best young rider jersey after stages 1 and 2)

2nd Clasica San Sebastian

2nd, the stage Vuelta Espaňa (+ 6th the prologue, 5th the time trial)

2010

1st overall Giro di Sardegna (1st, the second stage)

4th overall Paris - Nice (8th, 9th places)

8th overall Vuelta Ciclista a Catalunya (7th, the stage)

Previous teams:

Skoda Pilsen (blue bike with pink pig)
ZCE Pilsen/ RV Suls (Colnago)
GS Schumacher WD 40 (2004, Daccordi)
GS Podenzano (2005, Bianchi)
Team Liquigas (2006/10, Cannondale)

Personal Information:

Favorite food:

Pizza Gorgonzola with nuts

Beverage:

Red wine

Cars:

Fast and reliable

Favorite place:

Lago di Garda

Actors:

George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage

Music:

Light Rock