Tour de Hongrie

The opening stage of the Tour de Hongrie started with a bang for Team Novo Nordisk with Frenchman Charles Planet animating the days breakaway before young Czech talent Matyas Kopecky sprinted to a superb eighth place in a star studded bunch sprint.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“Very happy with our performance today, we almost did everything right. It was important for us to try and get up the road in the early break and Charles wanted it badly. He initiated the move with the first attack and if he hadn’t missed one sprint he would be in the climbers jersey now, but we can’t complain.”

“After that It came down to the sprint and we decided that Matyas would be the one to have a go today. If you look at the field of sprinters here, it’s the best guys in the world so for the kid to get top ten and finish eighth is great. Let’s keep it up now and try for more over the next few days.”

Charles Planet:

“I’ve made it back to racing and now I’ve made it back into the breakaway, so yes, I really feel like I’m returning now. I’m quite angry with myself because it was one sprint that I missed to get a jersey, but we will try again tomorrow.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“Ah man. Eighth against these guys is amazing. They’re the best sprinters in the world and to be up there competing on the first opportunity is a really good feeling.”

“The guys did such an amazing job all day, I felt no wind, Filippo was next to me the whole time and with Charles up the road in the break we had no pressure on us in the bunch. It’s an almost perfect start for us.”

Photo Credit: Sprint Cycling Agency

A wet and crash-marred second stage at the Tour de Hongrie saw the next generation of Team Novo Nordisk stars take center stage with Filippo Ridolfo driving the breakaway and Matyas Kopecky sprinting to another top ten.

Head sports director, Massimo Podenzana:

“Another good day for the team today, it was certainly eventful and the rain made for a few crashes in the second half of the stage, but fingers crossed it looks like all the guys are ok.”

“Filippo did a great job in the breakaway and now we have two guys in contention for the climber’s jersey. Obviously, the plan was to go with Charles, but his attack didn’t stick and as instructed Filippo followed the second move and that’s the one that went.

“We are a team and we work as a team, so we ticked that box and with Matyas doing great again in the finale with another top ten…well, we couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Filippo Ridolfo:

“I just followed the second move after Charles tried and then Massimo told me that Charles was chasing behind so I refused to pull to try and give Charles a chance to make it over. But after 30 minutes the bunch caught him and I had to start taking my turns”

“As soon as we hit the climbs two of the guys were in difficulty so I drove the move as much as possible into the second half of the stage and managed to take some points in the GPM and intermediate sprints. For sure we will be going again for Charles tomorrow and I hope with more GPM points on offer that we are able to make something happen.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“I couldn’t see anything in the finale. I was just riding on instinct and when I heard it was another top ten I was overjoyed. It was so wet that my glasses steamed up, but that was the same for everyone I guess.”

“It was a buzz for sure. I spent some energy chasing back after a crash happened right in front of me and Andrea did amazing to make it back up to me after he went down. He took me l right into the wheels and after that, it was a blur.”

SprintCyclingAgency

Italian second-year professional Filippo Ridolfo took the Tour de Hongrie by the scruff of the neck on stage three as the Team Novo Nordisk rider jumped into the breakaway for the second day running and into the climbers jersey.

Head sports director, Massimo Podenzana:

“The guys did a brilliant job today, after yesterday’s efforts by Filippo in the break and Matyas in the sprint we weren’t sure how they would back up today. But we knew there was only one thing we wanted to try and that was to get up the road again with Filippo and do what we could to get into the climbers jersey.”

“With the points Filippo gained yesterday, we had a very good chance of claiming the jersey and I’m happy to say it went to plan. He did everything right. Followed the early move and won the first two GPM. Now comes the hard job of holding onto the jersey.”

Filippo Ridolfo:

“It’s a great feeling making my first trip to the podium and our first three days here have been so good. It’s a privilege to be part of this team and sharing our message with everyone out there whose lives are affected by diabetes and hopefully a day in the red jersey will help us spread that inspiration further.”

“The whole team has been riding really strongly and we all want to support each other, I felt good this morning and I was ready for the break to go. Fortunately I had the energy to do well in the first two GPM and gain more points, because the attacks out of the bunch came hard in the last 50km and we knew that we had to get the points on the board early.

“It’s going to be really special to wear the climbers jersey tomorrow and I’ll do my best to try and hold on to it. Even if it only ends up being for a day I’m going to try and enjoy it and make some good memories.”

Photos: SprintCyclingAgency

Team Novo Nordisk hit the front again on todays Queen stage at the Tour de Hongrie with 20 year old Matyas Kopecky stepped up in the breakaway after fatigue set in for teammate Filippo Ridolfo and the chances of retaining the climbers jersey slipped away.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“We knew it may happen after the efforts of the last three days. Filippo was a little tired this morning, but he tried to attack repeatedly over the first 10km and the bunch just wouldn’t let him go.”

“That’s what happens in cycling, he’s shown himself now and when you step up, rode well and get into a jersey at this stage in a race you become a threat to the other teams fighting for that same jersey qnd the points. Filippo is a young rider and the experience is good for him, sometimes you have the energy to keep attacking and following, hoping for the right move but other times like today, tiredness kicks in.”

“The move Matyas followed ended up being the move of the day, so that was it, there was no chance of bridging with Filippo so we said goodbye to the climbers jersey and thanks for the experience. Peter rode well and tried his best to stay with the GC guys, and finished just off the back of them.”

Peter Kusztor:

“It’s a shame that quite a few teams didn’t want Filippo up the road today, but of course we understand why. He’s strong and he’s shown he’s a competitor in the breakaway’s. There are no gifts in professional cycling and it’s good that Filippo and Matyas learn this early.”

“I felt pretty good all day and could stay with the leaders until the last climb – which I know very well because these are my training roads – but I lost contact as the attacks started to fly out of the GC group.”

Photo credit: Sprint Cycling Agency