Isaac Cantón, again protagonist in the Magyar routes
Tour of Hungary
Stage 4: Karcag and Miskolc (182 km)
The Polartec-Kometa Isaac Cantón rider, who was already the most outstanding rider during the first stage of the 2018 Hungarian Tour, shone again this Saturday, during the main day of the Magyar race, after a five-rider breakaway that he rode at the head of the race for almost a hundred kilometres.
The Argamasilla de Alba rider, caught up in the fight for the mountain jersey, was determined to reach the first port and score some very valuable points, but the interests of the platoon ended up destroying the escape before it began. In the stage the German Nicodemus Holler (Bike Aid) would win the race, while the Italian Manuel Belletti (Androni) will reinforce his leadership in a general standings where Matteo Moschetti, until this Saturday second, lost many positions with the logic of the mountain pass.
A crazy day, under an intense heat and with a very high speed. This was the fourth stage of the Tour of Hungary, which a priori, due to the ascent of the Bukkszentkereszt, was to become this year’s queen day. A first-class port, not too hard, not too long either, but one of the most demanding in the country’s geography. Its distance to the finish line, some thirty kilometres, reinforced the importance of its location. There was to be a five-runner runaway to its base, a run that was not consolidated until about 50 kilometres after the stage, and among whose members was Cantón. A leak that rolled up to five minutes early. But on the plain the Pannon Cycling Team started to shoot with everything, a circumstance that is missing for the future of the escape.
Already on the ramps, where Pannon Attila Valter launched a very tough attack and went on to lead the race, the CCC team bet on bursting the race with a very high pace that drastically reduced the number of troops in the pack. Only a fortnight, three members of the CCC, managed to pass the stop. Stagiaire Stefano Oldani, who is completing an outstanding first appearance with Polartec-Kometa, initially managed to stay in the lead group, but ended up riding in a small group that arrived a minute later. In the fight for the stage Holler demarcated within the last kilometer and achieved a minimum income sufficient to cross the finish line first.
“It was a shame. I’ve come to see myself in the front, I’ve come to think that we could make it. The best classified of the general classification was ten minutes away and even Androni was interested in this breakaway. We were five minutes in, but the Pannon came in and in just ten kilometres we were reduced to a full advantage. There was no strength for a pulse on the escape and they ended up catching us two kilometres from the beginning of the port. I wish I could have taken some points for this general. But, well, we’re still there. We are giving everything we have and I am personally happy. The important thing is to fight, to be seen. I am very tired, but tomorrow will be another stage, there are points for the mountain in play and while there is race there is a fight,” explains Cantón.
The final stage of the Tour of Hungary will take place over 128 km with start and finish in Kazincbarcika. The presence of two points for the Grand Prix of the mountain keeps the fight for this classification open in which Canton is third. Italy’s Matteo Moschetti, meanwhile, remains second in the overall points standings and is one of the main favourites for the win on the final day.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
