Leoš Kafka (born 1979) has been actively involved in sports for approximately the last 16 years. He started with running, a sport he enjoyed as a child, and gradually added cross-country skiing and mountain biking (MTB) to his repertoire. In running races, he progressed from 10Ks and half-marathons to marathons (personal best of 2:50:00) and eventually ultra-marathons (K100, B7). In cross-country skiing, he worked his way up to the first wave of the Jizerská 50. Ten years ago, he took up kick scootering as his next sport. What began as a supplementary activity has, over time, become his primary sport.
His average annual mileage on a kick scooter over the past five years exceeds 5,000 km.
In the last two years, he has completed 21 kick scooter races or stages, totaling 2,750 km. In these events, he achieved 14 podium finishes, including 9 first-place victories, which also earned him overall wins in the last two editions of the Long-Distance Kick Scooter Series.
He views the 2025 Vuelta as a unique opportunity to actively participate in a major sporting event and push his limits to the next level.
My name is Martin Brož, but people also know me by my nickname, Marčáno. I’m 44 years old and have been riding a kick scooter since 2016. From a young age, I’ve always been involved in some kind of sport, and in later years, I combined sports with adventure. Together with my girlfriend Pája, we cycled across parts of the country “fully loaded.” Then the kick scooter entered the picture. That odd machine with two wheels and a deck quickly took root in our lives and gradually began turning everything upside down. I started exploring the world from the deck of a kick scooter. Over time, I began participating in a few races, discovering that I wasn’t half bad as a competitor—especially in long-distance events. In races, I sought a certain added value and adventure, and it didn’t take long before I started joining “survival” races, where the main goal is simply to finish. In these events, my rivals became less fellow kick scooter riders and more ultra-bikers. So, from time to time, I take part in such races with my scooter, and no cyclist can be certain I won’t leave them behind at the finish line.
The races or kick scooter adventures tied to athletic performance that I’ve enjoyed most include my participation in the 2018 Handy Cycling Marathon, where, as the first kick scooter team, we conquered a 2,222 km course in 111 hours; the 1000 Miles Adventure 2019, an extreme unsupported race spanning over 1,600 km with 40,000 meters of elevation gain, where I set a still-unbroken kick scooter record of 11 days, 5 hours, and 24 minutes; and my acceptance into the French cycling club Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux, as the first and only kick scooter rider in the world to climb that mountain 6 times from 3 towns in under 24 hours, covering 276 km and 8,800 meters of elevation. I also took great joy in finishing 3rd overall in last year’s unsupported extreme race, the West Carpathian Challenge 2023, where I left 40 cyclists in my dust.
For these reasons, taking on the Vuelta feels like a natural progression and a dream come true. I’m incredibly proud to have been invited to participate in this adventure.
Tomáš Zíma (born 1996) began his journey as a passionate gamer, primarily immersed in World of Warcraft, where he explored virtual worlds and adventures. The turning point came in 2015 when he bought a kick scooter (MASTER 26-20) as a means of transportation to school. It pulled him away from the gaming desk and opened up the real world, which he began to explore—first across the Czech Republic, and later around the globe. His passion for adventure led him to unforgettable journeys, such as an 800 km “fully loaded” ride through Norway (2019) or a trip from the European Kick Scooter Championships in Italy (2023), where he also claimed the title of European Champion in the criterium.
He has only dedicated himself to systematic training for the past two years, which has brought further significant achievements: an overall victory in the multi-stage race Zubatá žába (2024), wins in Rollo League races, and a second-place finish overall in the Rollo League (2023). Alongside kick scootering, he has taken up cycling and running, but the kick scooter remains his primary passion. He loves riding for the experiences and adventures the sport offers.
The kick scooter also introduced him to a unique community—fellow scooter riders, whom he considers some of the best people in the world.
Boleslav Žemlík (born 1991) has been riding a kick scooter for nearly twenty years. He participated in his first kick scooter race in 2009 in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, back then still on a twelve-inch model. After that, there was a long hiatus until he moved to Brno, where he began regularly riding with the local kick scooter crew, BKG. Starting with 10 km races like the Blanenská Desítka, he progressed through the Rollo League and the 100 km routes of the Long-Distance Kick Scooter Series, eventually tackling the 600 km Kickdistance Milan-Munich (2024). Kick Spain is thus a natural next step—though it feels more like a leap. Kick scootering also partially supports his livelihood, as he works at the Brno-based shop kolobky.cz, one of the sponsors of the Kick Spain project. He also writes kick scooter reviews for the website přibližovadla.cz. Beyond kick scootering, he has been involved in orienteering since a young age and strives to promote it among the kick scooter community as well.
Ivan Urban (born 1970) has loved active movement his entire life. From kindergarten, he rode a bike whenever he could. At the age of ten, he joined the handball team Tatran Litovel. During high school, he tried various sports—volleyball, which was almost mandatory in Odolená Voda, canoeing, go-karting, karate, and more. A year after completing his mandatory military service (1992), he joined the fire protection unit (then PO), where he still serves today as a member of the Fire Rescue Service (HZS). It was there, thanks to his colleagues, that his passion for cycling fully took hold. Later, he discovered mountains and with them new sports—high-altitude hiking, via ferrata climbing, and trail running. In winter, he enjoys cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or simply trekking along snow-covered ridges. For relaxation, he turned to pipe smoking, rock concerts, or sleeping under the stars at his favorite spots.
He first encountered a kick scooter in 2014 through a lifelong childhood friend. However, his true baptism by fire came seven years later at a kick scooter race in Vodňany. The community’s spontaneity and openness captivated him so much that he stuck with it. He raced purely for fun, for the chance to meet an amazing group of people, never achieving any notable success. That’s why the offer to join the Spanish Vuelta came as such a surprise. After brief consideration, he accepted and has since been pouring maximum effort into his preparation and training. This wouldn’t have been possible without the understanding, support, and encouragement from his HZS colleagues, fellow kick scooter riders, friends, and above all, his entire family—to all of whom he owes a heartfelt “THANKS.”
Being invited to the Vuelta is, for him, an immense honor and privilege, a chance to be among the very best. At his age, it’s a rare opportunity to discover what a person can achieve when they truly set their mind to it. And, well—Vuelta isn’t something you turn down...
Karel Cvalín (born 1977) has been riding a kick scooter since 1998, meaning he’s spent more than half his life on one. This is evidenced by his approximately 170 starts in the Rollo League (the Czech Kick Scooter League, arguably the most traditional kick scooter league in the world)—that’s 170 days spent at races. With a modest estimate of 3,000 km ridden annually, he has nearly circled the globe twice. As for recorded achievements, there have been many, though he rarely reached the top spot. Most of his medals are from Czech events, but his successes extend into European (and even global) waters. Notable mentions include his participation in a relay team that set a still-unbroken world record for a 24-hour ride in 2003—624 km. His latest and most significant triumph came in 2024 when he won the World Champion title in the Masters category.
He wants to take on the Vuelta because it’s a challenge that may not come again. He’s always envied the guys who conquered the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. He’d received offers to participate before but never dared to take them up. Now it’s different. He feels he’s matured, that it might just work out. Pain is temporary, glory is forever.
Michal Veselský (born 1980) began his sports journey at the age of six in a chess club, where he eventually earned the title of Candidate Master. It was chess that led him to kick scootering when he joined his club teammates for the legendary 24-hour team event in Prague’s Stromovka park. By that time, his progress in chess had plateaued, so he threw himself into this newly discovered sport.
On the scooter deck, he faced an identity crisis: he loved speed, but his greatest potential for success lay in long-distance races. In the end, ego won out, and he became a long-distance specialist.
Achievements:
Michal Veselský (born 1980) began his sports journey at the age of six in a chess club, where he eventually earned the title of Candidate Master. It was chess that led him to kick scootering when he joined his club teammates for the legendary 24-hour team event in Prague’s Stromovka park. By that time, his progress in chess had plateaued, so he threw himself into this newly discovered sport.
On the scooter deck, he faced an identity crisis: he loved speed, but his greatest potential for success lay in long-distance races. In the end, ego won out, and he became a long-distance specialist.
Achievements:
Superpowers: He can pee while riding and scoot with a trash can.
