Successful Slovak cyclists dress other cyclists all over the world - MZV EN
Successful Slovak cyclists dress other cyclists all over the world
Before Peter Sagan came up and captivated many, Slovakia had another ace in the world of road cycling. To be more precise, two aces – the twin brothers Peter and Martin Velits.
In 2007, Peter Velits became the UCI Road World Champion. Three years later he was the first Slovak cyclist to attain a podium position in a Grand Tour, finishing second in the Vuelta a España road bicycle race. Between 2008 and 2014 he participated six times in the famous Tour de France race. During his premiere run, he earned a Combativity award, which was given to the rider who made the greatest effort and who demonstrated the best qualities of sportsmanship.
Martin Velits belonged among the best in the junior category. He won several Slovak National Road Championships, in both the Under 23 and Elite categories. He is also a seven-time participant of the Vuelta a España road bicycle race and one-time participant in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia races.
Peter and Martin ended their professional careers in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
However, that does not mean they are no longer an important part of the sport world, far from it. Their zeal for road cycling was just replaced by a zeal for responsible and sustainable business. In 2013, during the free time between training sessions and races, the brothers created Isadore Apparel, a Slovak clothing and equipment brand intended for road cycling afficionados both local and foreign. After retiring from their professional career, they really sank their teeth into the business.
Although born in Bratislava, the twin brothers later moved to Púchov, western Slovakia. It is here where they started to manufacture their clothing.