AUTHOR CUP 2026

Martin defied the rain and took home another bronze!

The traditional Author Cup in Bedřichov—celebrating its 30th anniversary this year—was the final stop of our racing season. And as has become our custom, we headed to Bedřichov on Friday so we could really enjoy the race weekend. This time, we parked near a pizzeria where we had a table reserved for the evening. So good food and a great team atmosphere were guaranteed.

But the main event of the weekend was yet to come. After several beautiful days of Indian summer, rain arrived on Friday, bringing with it a significant drop in temperature.

And who was happiest about that? Martin "Kawas" Kavalír!

Martin had come to Bedřichov to defend his third-place finish from last year, and he'd hoped for exactly the kind of weather that eventually arrived. Rain clearly suits him when he's racing, so when fog rolled in on Saturday and the course offered up a good dose of mud, he must have been thrilled.

His wife Naďa, however, saw things a little differently. While Martin's racing dream came true, Naďa could probably have imagined more pleasant conditions. But the Author Cup is the Author Cup, and the weather doesn't play favorites!

Martin did it again!

On Saturday, it turned out that Martin's excitement about the weather wasn't unfounded. He put in a great race under challenging conditions and managed to match last year's result. Martin "Kawas" Kavalír finished in 3rd place once again!

Defending his podium finish at the 30th anniversary edition of this traditional race is a fantastic result and a wonderful way for Martin to cap off this season. The rain, fog, and mud simply suited him well.

Naďa Kavalírová crossed the finish line in 5th place, David Koželuh took 24th place, and Daniel "Vargič" Varga finished the race in 64th place.

Huge congratulations to everyone who lined up at the start and battled through conditions that were far from an ideal fall cycling day!

The season is behind us

We wrapped up this year's racing season with the Author Cup. From the spring races all the way to the autumn mud in Bedřichov, we've shared plenty of races, experiences, and joy—as well as those moments at the finish line when you wonder why you're actually doing this.

But that's exactly what it's all about. We love racing, spending time together, and enjoying everything that comes with it—including the rain, which some of us even go out of our way to bring on.

Martin managed to defend last year's bronze medal, so we can wrap up the season with a smile.

Now, hopefully, it's time to rest, service our bikes, and plan for next season.

Carthago MTB Team—done for this year, back at the starting line next year!