We are following up on our Dream Big and You Can Fly video from last week with a portrait of Nicole Frýbortová. This rising star and 2015 artistic cycling vice-champion is an example of stubbornness, discipline and a power of will. That’s why she’s representing our Dream Big series.
Nicole’s ultimate balance is not something she was born with. For the past fourteen years she dedicated all her free time and resources to mastering her simple fixed-gear bike. And it really takes time to learn artistic cycling – some easy tricks you can learn in one day but the most complicated ones take almost two years of falling and getting back in saddle over and over again. You have to find the last remnants of patience somewhere deep inside you to endure and finally see some results.
What started as a child’s curiosity became an obsession. And that’s how a fourteen-year old girl appeared on a 2008 Indoor Cycling World Championships as a youngest competitor.
In an interview Nicole said that what she likes the most about this sport is a fact that not everyone is doing it. But this exclusivity, almost strangeness to the general public, also has its downside – financing. You have to train 6 times a week, pay for your bike and everything else and still make a living elsewhere, this beautiful sport is totally outside of sponsors’ viewfinder.
But it doesn’t matter – Nicole is willing to take turns in a small training area, she overcomes occasional dislocated ankle or instep and sacrifices her free time to see herself win the first place in the World championships. Last year in Malaysia she almost made it and ended up second. We know that she will train hard despite the conditions and next year she will be back, trying to grab the trophy for herself.
We in Škoda think that stories like this one inspire you to go for your dreams. We also believe that this is exactly the type of tale people should know about. That’s why we prepared more inspirational, adventurous and interesting stories, which we hope you’ll enjoy. Don’t forget to dream big.