Very sad news has struck Czech and world cycling. Just one day before his 90th birthday, Vladimír Holeček left this world. "The greatest historical authority of Czech cycling in the field of international diplomacy," the federation wrote on its website.

Holeček was an athlete for the Czechoslovak national track team between the late 1950s and early 1960s and, after concluding his sporting career, became an administrator. Between 1972 and 1976 he led the Czechoslovak federation and was also active on the international stage.

From 1990 to 2001 he held the position of vice president of the European Cycling Union (UEC), before becoming its president for eight years. He was also vice president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) from 1997 to 2009, where he also served on the indoor cycling commission and the executive committee.

In 2019 Holeček was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Czech Cycling Federation. He was also honorary president of the UEC and honorary vice president of the UCI.