Michal Prokop

{{Short description|Czech biker and Olympic athlete}}

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Michal Prokop

| image = BMX Supercross World Cup 2007 Fréjus men Podium.jpg

| caption = Prokop (left) at the 2007 Supercross World Cup

| fullname = Michal Prokop

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|4|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Prague, Czechoslovakia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|m=1.80|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|83|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| currentteam = Specialized

| discipline = Bicycle motocross (BMX)

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Fourcross, Enduro

| amateuryears1 =

| amateurteam1 =

| proyears1 = 2000–2001

| proteam1 = Specialized 69

| proyears2 = 2002

| proteam2 = Be One

| proyears3 = 2003–2009

| proteam3 = Author

| proyears4 = 2010

| proteam4 = Author Gang

| proyears5 = 2011–

| proteam5 = Specialized

| majorwins =

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals = yes

}}

Michal Prokop (born 1 April 1981 in Prague) is a Czech professional BMX and Mountain Bike Four-cross rider.{{cite sports-reference |title=Michal Prokop |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pr/michal-prokop-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418052858/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pr/michal-prokop-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |access-date=20 October 2013}} Started his sporting career at the age of five, Prokop has claimed two World Cup circuit gold medals, and three World Championship jerseys (2003, 2004, and 2011) in the men's elite category, emerging him as one of the most successful fourcross riders in the sport's brief history.{{cite news |title=Drift Czech welcomes Michal Prokop to the Drift Czech Team |url=http://driftinnovation.com/drift-czech-welcomes-michal-prokop-to-the-drift-czech-team/ |publisher=Drift Innovation |access-date=20 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020232130/http://driftinnovation.com/drift-czech-welcomes-michal-prokop-to-the-drift-czech-team/ |archive-date=20 October 2013}}

In BMX racing, Prokop has been named an eight-time Czech champion, and collected three gold medals to his career resume at the European Championships. Moreover, he mounted numerous top-three finishes at the UCI BMX World Championships, including his men's cruiser bronze medal in 2002. Prokop also represented his nation Czech Republic at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and more recently, earned his only prestigious title in the men's elite category at the 2012 Red Bull Pump Riders tournament in his home turf Prague.{{cite news |title=Prokop a Slavík umí i bez řetězů - vyhráli Red Bull Pump Riders |trans-title=Without chains, Prokop and Slavik can win the Red Bull Pump Riders |language=Czech |url=http://mtbs.cz/clanek/prokop-a-slavik-umi-i-bez-retezu-vyhrali-red-bull-pump-riders/kategorie/ostatni |publisher=MTBS |date=25 June 2012 |access-date=20 October 2013}} Because of his ample successes in both BMX and fourcross racing, Prokop has been named the "King of the Czech Cycling" by the nation's governing sport union in 2006.{{cite news |title=Fat-tyre king gets Czech crown |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/bmx.php?id=news/2007/feb07/feb17bmxnews3 |publisher=Cycling News |date=17 February 2007 |access-date=20 October 2013}} Since he turned himself professional in 1995, Prokop currently races for the Specialized BMX and Fourcross Racing Team.{{cite news |title=King of first race Specialized Enduro Serie 2013 is rider Michal Prokop! |url=http://enduro-mtb.com/en/king-of-first-race-specialized-enduro-serie-2013-is-rider-michal-prokop/ |publisher=Enduro |date=11 July 2013 |access-date=20 October 2013}}

Prokop qualified for the Czech squad, as the nation's sole male rider, in men's BMX cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by receiving an automatic berth from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) based on his top-ten performance from the BMX World Rankings.{{cite news |title=Bikrosař Prokop skončil v druhém závodu SP v Adelaide čtvrtý |trans-title=BMX rider Prokop finished second in the race in Adelaide SP fourth |language=Czech |url=http://www.sport.cz/ostatni/cyklistika/clanek/128174-bikrosar-prokop-skoncil-v-druhem-zavodu-sp-v-adelaide-ctvrty.html |publisher=Sport.cz |date=13 April 2008 |access-date=20 October 2013}} After he grabbed a twentieth seed on the morning prelims with a time of 36.689, Prokop scored a total of 18 placing points to take the sixth spot in his quarterfinal heat, thus eliminating him from the tournament.{{cite web |title=Men's BMX Seeding |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001900/index.html |work=Beijing 2008 |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=21 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819212702/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001900/index.html |archive-date=19 August 2012}}{{cite web |title=Men's BMX Quarterfinals Heat 2 |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001300/index.html |work=Beijing 2008 |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=21 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819212627/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/cycling/resultsandschedules/rsc=CBM001300/index.html |archive-date=19 August 2012}}{{cite news |title=Big names advance in BMX, but not without crashes |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Story.aspx?file=%2F2008%2F8%2F20%2Folympics%2F20080820134654 |publisher=The Star (Malaysia) |date=20 August 2008 |access-date=20 October 2013}}