Radomír Šimůnek, Sr.

Who was Radomír Šimůnek, Sr.?

Radomír Šimůnek, Sr. was a Czech racing cyclist who mainly participated in cyclo-cross. Šimůnek's son, Radomír Šimůnek, Jr. is also a cyclo-cross cyclist.

During the Czech communist era he was a two time amateur World Champion, but was unable to become a professional cyclist. The earnings he garnered from international matches in Belgium and the Netherlands were paid to the Czechoslovakia Cycling Union and Šimůnek did not receive his winnings. The political change in Eastern Europe in 1989 and 1990 finally allowed him to become a professional, before he won the World title at the 1991 World Championships in Gieten.

In 1992 he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for causing a traffic accident that killed three people. He received a presidential pardon four months into his sentence.