Karel Hnik has used his time in 2014 very wisely, shoing off his great talent, earning a stagiaire ride with MTN-Qhubeka in late 2014, before signing his first pro deal with Cult Energy.

The 23-year-old Czech spoke to Café Roubaix about his first year as a pro and the great season he has had to get him there.

“It (2014) was my second full road season, without combining it with the cyclo-cross races and I must say I haven’t had a better season until this point. Racing with Etixx-Ihned and then with MTN-Qhubeka gave me the opportunity to have a really great program from the beginning until the end of the season. I’ve raced almost 10 000 kilometers and for sure this was a move forward. My biggest result was winning a stage and the GC of the Tour Alsace. In that period – late July and August – I felt excellent and I had a great form. But my biggest satisfactions came from being able do be consistent and get results throughout the year.”

He owes Etixx a lot for helping him to develop as a rider and he credits them for turning him into a “full road rider”, rather than a cycloscrosser who occasionally road races on the tarmac. However, he knows that his cyclo cross skills will come in handy in his pro career.

“It really helped me a lot. I got technique and a good control of the bike, and these are things I’ll never forget. My opinion is that all the young riders should begin with cyclo-cross or MTB.”

His 2014 with Etixx inspired MTN-Qhubeka to offer him a stagiaire role at the team, where he raced against some big riders in big races, even if their large number of signings prevented the team from being able to permanently sign him.

“It was very important, because in those two months as a stagiaire I had the opportunity to live new experiences in quality races, and now I know what I can expect from next year.”

But he didn’t have to wait long before Cult Energy’s general manager called him and offered him a deal at the newly promoted Pro Continental team.

“I got a call from the team’s general manager, who said that the team was following me for some time now and was very interested in me. I talked with my manager, Brian Smith, and he told me that it’s a very good step for me to go to this team. So, after a couple of days, the contract was already signed.”

“My main focus will be on gaining more experience in the professional peloton. I also look forward to doing some big and hard races, where I want to show what I’m capable of. Long-term, I want to do good in the Grand Tours and the Classics. If I will score a win in a big race, it will be great.”