Ripping through the Swiss countryside in the saddle of a borrowed Ducati crotch rocket, 2014 Olympic bronze medallist Jan Hudec wanted nothing more than to cruise mountain passes and enjoy summer bliss.
He had sold his stress-inducing optometry shop, new sponsors have signed him up, his training was consistent for the first time in years, and his Czech girlfriend told him she was pregnant with his son.
Pushing 80 km/h, a farmer in a flatbed truck pulled out in front of his bike. He tailed the truck, waiting for a chance to pass, but the farmer kept speeding up.
“I was going 80 on a left hand turn into a tunnel. As I came through, (the truck) was stopped at the end of the tunnel. I had nowhere to go,” Hudec said.
He hit the brakes, then the dirt, ditching the bike and crashing into the cold asphalt.
“Dumping the bike and rolling around on the ground gave me a pretty sore shoulder,” Hudec said.
For a world cup skier who spent parts of seven seasons on the sidelines recovering from back and knee injuries, it was an incredibly close call. For the soon-to-be father of two boys, it was frightening.
“It was one of the most epic rides of my life,” Hudec said. “I dumped the bike, but it wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t ride it. It was an eye opener.”
He still finished the trip and will be on the start line on Saturday for the Winterstart Alpine World Cup downhill and super G, Nov. 29-30 at Lake Louise.
“It’s like going to Vegas. You don’t know what you’ll see. At the first race, it’s fun to see whose been doing what. You don’t see who’s hot until the first race,” Hudec said.
For the first time in years, Hudec has had a consistent training season. He’s put on weight to help his gliding, spent more time on snow and impressed his coaches with his speed early in the year. But even as the veteran on the Canadian team, he still gets pre-season jitters.
“I’m getting my butt kicked by the young guys on the team, but at the same time my coach is more than confident about my skiing, which is good. How strong I am now, I’m able to put a proper turn down. But I can’t believe it’s time. I have last minute packing and I need to find someone who will shovel my walk,” Hudec said.
Lake Louise has been kind to Hudec in the past. He’s cracked the top 10 five times on his home hill, winning once in 2007. With Erik Guay on the sidelines due to injury, Hudec will be the Canadian to watch on the start line. Joining him will be Ben Thomsen, Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Conrad Pridy, Tyler Werry and Jeffrey Frisch. More starts Canadian starts will be added by Saturday.
“The biggest thing was being healthy and getting strong at the gym. I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been, but I’m still able to jump and move. I hope that puts me back on the map for being a better glider. In the past it was about managing my knee,” Hudec said.
Away from the slopes, Hudec’s son is due the first week of December, so he’ll fly directly to Europe after the Beaver Creek world cup to support his girlfriend, Jarka.
“Literally, I’m still in denial,” Hudec said.
He’s also has signed a partnership with Special Olympics to become an ambassador.
“I’ve been involved with them for several years with events and fundraisers. It’s important to find someone my passion aligns with and an organization like the Special Olympics can reach a lot of people,” Hudec said.
He’s also helping fund several skiers this year, something he started three years ago.
“After a year hiatus, I can help again. I thought about it and found a couple of athletes who aligned with what I believe in,” Hudec said.
This year, he’ll help national development team skier Broderick Thompson, and ParaAlpine athletes Erin Latimer and Alana Ramsay. He says he likes to help well-rounded athletes.
“Character is a huge aspect. Having a passion for the sport, being aware about the world … not just being passionate about skiing, but other things in life too. It’s about athletes empowering other athletes. I pick people who I think can carry that on,” Hudec said.
The man they call “The Panda” has always had an astonishingly unpredictable life. From refugee camps to world cup glory, much ink has been spilled over his journey. Hudec believes now (because his life isn’t busy enough) is the time to put it all down to paper.
“I’m writing a book. I think it will be a tragic comedy. I have some inspirational stories, but I lean towards humour to deal with everything. People react well to humour.
“I don’t want it just to be funny. I want some really important nuggets in there. You retain something when it’s funny though,” Hudec said.
