Cycle-ball Worlds: Slovakia finish eleventh with Holár and Kobeš

Ján Holár and Martin Kobeš won three of their four cycle-ball matches in the Challenger League in Ludwigsburg, but it was not enough for promotion to the elite league.

Slovakia ended the cycle-ball World Championships in Ludwigsburg in eleventh place overall, the Slovak Cycling Federation (SZC) reports. Ján Holár and Martin Kobeš played in the Challenger League, the competition for nations outside the elite league, and finished third there.

The pair won both of their group matches, beating Great Britain 7-1 and Hong Kong 6-0. Their run ended in the semi-final with a 6-4 defeat to Armenia, before they beat Malaysia in the match for third place.

Three wins and one defeat were not enough to reach the elite league, as only the Challenger League winners went into the relegation match. That spot went to Italy, who then lost 5-1 to Japan. The SZC pointed to the complicated tournament format, under which a single defeat cost Slovakia its chance of promotion.