The Budapest–Pannonhalma stage will kick off this year’s V4 cycling race on Saturday, marking the 10th occasion since 2013 that Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland have hosted the event.
Boglárka Illés, the chief patron of the race and State Secretary for Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, highlighted at a press conference in Budapest on Monday, the first official day of the Hungarian EU Presidency, that the cycling race is a unique event not only in the world of sports but also in the cooperation of the V4 countries.
‘The cooperation of Central European countries has been pivotal not only in Europe’s past but will also be crucial in its present and future,’ said Boglárka Illés. Such events and sports in general not only express but also strengthen the unity of CEE nations, she noted, adding that the race is not just about endurance and athletic performance, but also about friendship and solidarity, and she hopes that this message can be conveyed to other EU states as well. She recalled that the Visegrád cooperation began historically in 1335 and was reaffirmed on 15th February 1991. It has played a key role in the development and stability of Central Europe ever since, as well as in the development of economic relations, political representation, and the preservation of cultural values. Illés emphasized that
Hungary will take over the V4 presidency in a year, and this event could be a worthy introduction to that.
Domonkos Schneller, President of the Hungarian Cycling Federation (MKSZ), noted that since the V4 is one of the most important cooperation frameworks in Europe, and cycling is ‘one of the most democratic sports’, the combination of the two can only lead to very positive outcomes. In his opinion, watching cycling races from the roadside eliminates the financial disparities among fans, which can be a barrier to enjoying other sports. He said that the start of the Giro d’Italia in Budapest elevated cycling in Hungary to a new level, and thanks to the achievements of Attila Valter and Kata Blanka Vas, Hungary has appeared on the international map of the sport.
Zsolt Törzsök, the chief organizer of the race stressed that the V4 race has brought together the cycling sports of the four organizing countries over the past years. He revealed that 26 teams from 8 nations will line up for the road race, including 12 professional and 13 club teams, as well as one national team. More than 20 cyclists will represent Hungary, for whom the event is important to accumulate international ranking points. The slow start of the Hungarian stage will take place on Saturday at Carl Lutz quay, in front of the Vogue event ship, and after a sharp start in Budakeszi, the peloton will cover 138.5 kilometres to the finish line set up at the Pannonhalma Abbey.
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