The Czech WorldSBK 2023 is the 8th Round of the season, an appointment for the 28th, 29th and 30th of July before the August holidays for teams and riders. Most promises lots of action: will Toprak Razgatlıoğlu make a comeback in the standings beating again Álvaro Baustista? Or will the Spaniard continue his streak of victories after the setback at Imola?
With this thrilling scenario, Most WorldSBK will be a great choose to attend for any fan. And here we have prepared a destination guide to enjoy at the most the Czech Round.
Most SBK and the Czech Round
With 21 corners within its 4.212 meters o length, Most may seem twisty, but at the same time the majority of the corners are quite fluid. In this way, Most feels a little bit ‘old school’ in its design, more similar to Assen SBK, but it has some very smooth elevation changes. Constructed in 1983, it features lots changes of directions and fast parts that are neither a straight nor a corner. The two best spots for passing are the first chicane and the penultimate corner. Be sure to be there when choosing your seat for the races!
Most WorldSBK is a recent edition to the calendar of the championship: Most Autodrom guested WorldSBK for the first time in 2021. This track situated on the historical region of Bohemia has produced already very interesting races for the spectators during these two past years. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu has been the clear winner with four wins of the six individual races celebrated at Most. In 2021 he had a big duel with Jonathan Rea and Scott Redding; the Englishman being in Ducati in those days won on Race 2. Last year, ‘El Turco’ had a tough time beating Álvaro Bautista; nevertheless, the Spaniard was able to take the main trophy at Race 1 while Toprak won Sunday’s Superpole Race and Race 2.
In these way Toprak, Redding and Bautista had been the three names added to the list of winners of the Czech Round, an event that has been celebrated in 13 occasions since the start of the World Superbike 35 years ago.
The first Czech Round was held in 1993: Carl Fogarty for Ducati and Scott Russell with Kawasaki were the first winners. The scenario was the iconic Brno Circuit, situated in the city of the same name and capital of Moravia. Brno was the scenario for the Czech Round of 1996 and from 2005 to 2012. The final appearance was in 2018, were Jonathan Rea won Race 1 but had a nasty collision with his then teammate Tom Sykes in Race 2; ironically his now teammate Alex Lowes was the winner of that second race.
Attractions in Most WorldSBK
The city of Most, which translation to English means ‘bridges’, is build over an important mining area of carbon. In fact, the old medieval city of Most – know for its German name Brüx – was all demolished between 1965 to 1985 and a new Most was built further south to make space for mining activities; the old Most being situated in what now is the field that surround the northern lake.
This makes that the main attraction of tourism in Most is the Hněvín Castle. Its lookout tower is visible from the circuit at the very top of the mountain. The castle was restored and is under good conditions. It offers a clear view of the Most basin with all its mining sites. Not far away from Most, there’s another castle, the Jezeří chateau (Státní zámek Jezeří in Czech). Its views over the giant surface quarry of the zone are even more impressive.
Most is situated next to the Ore Mountains, a range that makes a natural border with Germany. The Ore Mountains offer numerous places to visit and enjoy the nature. From little towns like Cínovec, all focused on the tourism of hiking, cycling and even golf, to the Klíny Sports Centre (Sportovní Areál Klíny) where you can find the longest ziplane in the country, of 2 kilometers long hanging over 130 meters, and many other attractions like a bike park and MTB rental.
Czech WorldSBK: thermal relax at Teplice and Karlovy Vary
Less than 30 kilometers of Most, there’s the thermal city of Teplice (in fact, Teplice means ‘hot spring’ in Czech. Its thermal mineral springs are one of the oldest discovered in Central Europe and the city center has plenty of historical buildings.
Teplice rivals Karlovy Vary, situated 90 kilometers south of Most, as the other thermal city of Czech Republic. Karlovy Vary it’s maybe more know though being smaller in size because its association with the wealthy class and aristocracy that already visited the city’s hot spring since the XIX century. Karlovy Vary and its beautiful architecture give a feeling of exclusivity and old-fashion stylish mood to the visitor.
Most is also a good starting point to discover some interesting parts of Bohemia, the historical region that along Moravia and Silesia, together give birth to the actual Czech Republic.
Bohemia’s name is associated with the French term ‘bohème’, which originally refer to an artistic lifestyle associated with the Romani people; the French assumed that the gypsies came from Bohemia, hence the concept of bohemian lifestyle. But this concept is far from true: the region has a rich story of its own culture and had been a crossroads for many cultures, specially the German and Slavic ones. Feel free to explore the country if you head to Most by road. Lots of little villages are pretty, with nice architecture and the fields and forest of all the countryside are a perfect scenery to enjoy your ride!
Visiting Prague during Most SBK
If you’re planning to attend Most WorldSBK by plane, probably Prague is logical option to go (although Dresde is at the same distance). Prague is a monumental and vibrant city, with so many attractions that will be hard to feature entirely in this text. Definitively is worth to expend some days in the capital of the Czech Republic before or after the Most SBK races.
Prague has an enormous rich history heritage, being the historical capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, the residence of numerous Holy Roman Emperors; it was, in fact, the favorite city of Mozart. You can feel the weight of history when visiting the many monuments that had made of Prague one of the most visited cities in Europe and now included in UNESCO’S World Heritage Sites list.
The Mála Strana, the old quarter, is the place to start any visit. From the Staromák, the old town square, you can visit the astronomical clock in the town hall and the curious Church of Mother of God before Týn, that has no visible entry. Walking from the center there’s the Powder Gate (Prašná brána) and the beautiful streets of the Jewish Quarter.
Taking a walk to cross the Vltava river is a must in Prague, and the obvius place to make it is the Charles Bridge. Be aware: it’s overcrowded all year with tourist, but the views over the city and the river are quite good. On the other side we can visit the enormous Prague Castle. More than a single castle, it’s a complex of fortifications, palaces and churches that features different architectural styles. A paradise for history lovers.
But Prague is much more than its historical buildings. The city host numerous museums of world renown and music is present in numerous venues. Classical orchestras like Prague Symphony or the Czech Philharmonic are among the best in the world. Galleries, literature cafes and other art related places are always crowded by locals; Prague and the Czech people really enjoy their own culture.
Czech WorldSBK: a country for beer lovers
We can’t talk of Czech culture without mentioning beer. For other countries can be just a recreational drink, but in Czech Republic the pivo is part of everyday life: is the country with highest beer consume in the world!
At any pivobar you can enjoy this refreshing drink with many brands to choose around the country. And for those who consider themselves beer lovers, they can travel to the city of Pilsen or Plzeň, only 100 kilometers south from Prague. Its name is world associated with a beer style, the pale lager or pilsner; currently is the most produced and consumed type of beer and was created for the first time in this city.
Also, in the southern part of the country there’s České Budějovice, which name can sound strange to many until we search for its old German name: Budweis. In fact, the big American beer producer copied the name of the town for its commercial use because the style and the fame of the beers from this city.
Finally, next to Most there’s the beautiful town of Žatec where the world-famous Saaz hops are grown. Nearly all of the pilsner beer in the country uses the Saaz hops and many more brands in the world appreciate their soft bitterness and aroma.