TOUR DE HONGRIE 2018
Holler repeats the feat for the last one. Belletti wins Tour de Hongrie, his first stage race ever.
In a very nervous last stage, German rider Holler, winner yesterday and apparently over the moon,
reiterates the exploit at sprint finish this time and offers himself Matteo Moschetti (Polartec-Kometa)
and Kamil Malecki (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), unfortunate and third again. The German rider from Bike
Aid makes a name for himself while Belletti confirms his status. Confined by a crash in the very last
metres, the Italian sprinter could not go for a second victory but brings back both the yellow and
green jerseys. At general classification, Malecki is second while Paolo Toto (Sangemini) completes
the podium. Patryk Stosz is King of the Mountains and Attila Valter (Pannon Cycling Team) is the
Best Hungarian.
123 riders took the start of the 5th and last stage of the 39th edition of Tour de Hongrie in Kazincbarcika, under
an always blazing sun, that did not want to miss the farewell party. But last stage did not mean chilling stage,
quite the opposite. The race took off like a rocket, preventing any attempt of escape from seeing the light of
day for long kilometres.
As Manuel Belletti was almost assured to take the leader’s jersey to the finish, the battle was playing on the
field of the climbers. With only one point over his Hungarian rival Attila Valter, Patryk Stosz (CCC Sprandi
Polkowice) had everything to lose today. He had two climbs to strengthen his advantage and he did not miss
the appointment. The Polish rider, U23 national champion of time trial, added a new line to his list of prizes
and became King of the Mountain of the 2018 Tour de Hongrie.
Through north-western postcard-like landscapes, the race was also marked with numerous crashes. The first
one happened after 79 kilometres of racing and resulted in Friday’s winner, Andrii Bratashchuk (Team
Novak), being forced to abandon the race. More fear than harm for the second one, at kilometre 86, when a
dog loomed out the spectators.
The least we can say is that team CCC Sprandi Polkowice was quite an actor of this 39th edition. With their
sprinter Kamil Malecki in ambush at the 4th place of GC, the 7 men in orange led the peloton for almost 128
kilometres. They could not prevent 5 men from trying a to run away 2 laps from the finish. In this group,
French rider Charles Planet who would have signed for a stage victory after he lost any hopes for podium in
Bükk’s climb yesterday.
Inside the last 6-kilometre lap, the group of 5 surrendered and had to let the sprinters do the show. As Belletti
was calmly repositioning at the front of the pack, he lost his chances of a second stage success, caught in
the third crash of the day that disrupted the sprint 300 metres from the line. On cloud nine, Nikodemus Holler
(Bike Aid) already winner yesterday, took the sprint ahead of the winner of stage 2 Matteo Moschetti
(Polartec-Kometa) and CCC sprinter Kamil Malecki, empty-handed.
Manuel Belletti, stage winner on the Giro d’Italia or the route du Sud, signs his first victory on a stage race.
Kamil Malecki has to settle for the second step of the podium whereas Paolo Toto, second at Trofeo Laigueglia this season, is third. Attila Valter (Pannon Cycling Team) who loses the red jersey for 5 points gets the Best Hungarian jersey as a consolation prize.
STAGE RESULTS
1. Nikodemus Holler (Bike Aid) in 02:46:48
2. Matteo Moschetti (Polartec-Kometa) s.t
3. Kamil Malecki (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) s.t
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec)
2. Kamil Malecki (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) + 00:27
3. Paolo Toto (Sangemini – MG K Vis Vega) à 00:28
