Where there's a Pole, there's a goal...

Reviewing the Polish mountain-bike team with Andrzej Piatek

Andrzej Piatek, manager of Lotto Cycling Team, Poland's national mountain bike team, has brought a season of success to Polish cycling. In 2005, his athletes earned Polish national, European and world championship medals. Tomek Piechal sat with Piatek for a talk about the season and his plans for the future of Polish mountain biking.

Cyclingnews: Do you consider 2005 a successful year?

Andrzej Piatek: After four years of very exhausting training leading up to the [Athens] Olympic Games, we decided to rest a little bit in 2005. But we still wanted to get some more experience so it was a year of experiments for us. We focused mostly on the championships and won four medals during European championships and one during world championships. So yes, I would consider it a successful year.

CN: Would you say that the two medals Maja Wloszczowska earned this year confirm her position among mountain biking's world elite?

AP:I think Maja had the best season in her whole life. She came second in both the World and European Championships. She also placed well in her other races and as a result of her hard work, she also represented Poland during the world road championships in Madrid as well. Yes, I think she confirmed that she is the one of the best cross-country racers in the world.

CN: Aleksandra Dawidowicz, a junior cyclist on the Lotto Team, had a successful year as well - a gold medal in Polish national championships time trial and the silver medal during European MTB championships.

AP:Ola is very versatile. She is good in cross-country but also races on the road. And in 2005, she confirmed that she could also fight on the track. Maybe during the Olympic Games in Beijing she'll take part in both MTB and road race but time will tell what we need to focus her on in the next two years.

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