One ride a year. A story worth reading.
This is a story from me, Martin Velits, and my brother Peter, both former pro riders with Quick Step and BMC, and now founders of Isadore, about our once-a-year tradition: a ride with our dad, Laco.
Words by Martin Velits, photos by Peter Meciar.
One Ride a Year and It Means Everything
Today’s Father’s Day, but let’s be real for a second. This one’s not just for dads. It’s for that person. The one who helped you fall in love with bikes.
You know who we’re talking about.
For us, that person was our dad.
Ex-semi-pro. Full-time legend.
He put us on two wheels, showed us the ropes (and the road rash), and made sure we understood both the pain and the poetry of cycling.
These days, it’s rare the three of us get together for a ride. Work, life, distance, you know how it goes. But there’s one day every year when we make it happen. Like clockwork, it’s around Father’s Day. And it’s sacred.
This year’s edition? A loop through the old stomping grounds in the northwest corner of Slovakia where the roads are rough, the climbs are rude, and the memories are baked into every bend.
It was a perfect day. Just the three of us. Rolling hills, empty roads, brutal gradients, questionable fitness levels.
Plenty of food. Too much coffee. A couple of ice hockey chants. And yes, more than one “how do you still not know how to fix a flat?” moment.
Here’s the thing: cycling gives us a lot. Fitness, freedom, endorphins, a reason to eat cake. But the real gift? The people who got us here. And the ones who stick around.
So if you’re reading this, text that person. Call them. Ride with them. Say thanks. And maybe take them out on a loop that reminds you both why you fell in love with riding in the first place.
