ERC
Cais honoured after joining The 100 Club in ERC
Erik Cais was honoured on 82nd Rally Poland earlier when he was presented with a commemorative print for making 100 competitive starts.
Cais, who achieved the milestone on Rally di Roma Capitale earlier this month, started his first rally in 2018 after injury forced him to call time on his promising career as a downhill mountain bike rider.
He made his FIA European Rally Championship debut as a priority driver on the Azores Airlines Rallye in 2019, with the recent Rally di Roma Capitale marking his 34th start at European level.
Azores in 2019 was the first time Cais was a registered ERC driver
© ERC
The 26-year-old has also competed successfully in his native Czech Republic as well as in the FIA World Rally Championship.
“It’s such an incredible feeling,” said Cais, who is embarking on a five-event ERC campaign in 2026 with Team MRF Tyres. “If you look at the past, we’ve been on the starting gate 100 times and done the recce 100 times, so it’s quite a big number and it’s nice to have this number, especially starting in mountain bikes. It’s incredible to have this type of journey and let’s hope for even more.”
It’s quite a big number and it’s nice to have this number
ERC stage-end reporter Peter Mackay presented Cais with a montage of his ERC starts over the years following Free Practice for 82nd Rally Poland this morning.
Cais (right) celebrates finishing his 100th rally
© ERC
“It’s a nice achievement even though it means I’m quite old now,” Cais said live on Rally.TV. “Every single memory of this picture is such a beautiful opportunity, for me to sit in a beautiful car with nice people, it’s such an achievement, 100 rallies.”
Cais was on course to win Barum Czech Rally Zlín in 2021 but crashed out in the closing stages. He took his first podium in the series with third place on his home event in 2024.
First ERC podium came at home in Zlín in 2024
© ERC
“Unfortunately, [Barum in 2021] is stuck in my memory, but it was also a nice memory because leading the rally was such a nice feeling,” Cais said. “We have to work on it to be a little bit better this year or next year.”
