Strong Ride for Kusztor on Stage 1 International Rhodes Tour
06 March 2020
Date: 6th March 2020
Race: International Rhodes Tour, Stage 1
Start/Finish: Rhodes – Maritsa, Greece
Distance: 149.8 kilometers
Peter Kusztor (HUN)
I am really satisfied with my performance today. For the first race, there is always the big question hanging over you about your condition and how the winter training and preparation went. I felt really good on the bike, which is a good sign.
Positioning was important today. Over the four finishing circuits, we knew that it would be pretty fast and hectic and that we would have to be up at the front, so I tried to be with the first 20 riders as we hit the closing laps.
It was really technical, with many corners, dirty roads and quite some stress in the bunch. Despite that, when I looked around me, I could see I was one of the stronger guys, so on the last lap, I tried to make a move to see if I could create a small group that would go to the line.
For a short time, it worked. As I looked around I thought, “Okay, we have a pretty good gap now,” but there wasn’t much cooperation in the group and unfortunately we were caught with around 500 meters to go. Even then, I expected the bunch to come flying past, but only a few guys did, so everyone must have been on the limit and I managed to kick again and sprint into 13th place.
The signs are really positive from today and day-by-day, we will get stronger.
Next Up:
On Saturday, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team will continue to show what’s possible with diabetes on Stage 2 at the International Rhodes Tour with a 145-kilometer race that starts near Rhodes’s harbor and historic center and follows the coast before cutting inland for a hilly loop and a finish in Paradeisi.
Photo Credit: Nassos Triantafyllou