Márton Dina, second overall in the Vuelta a Hungría after a great climb to Kekesteto in which Juan Pedro López shines
40th Tour of Hungary
Stage 4: Karcag – Kekesteto (138 km)
The Tour of Hungary arrived this Saturday at Kekesteto, the roof of the country at just over 1,000 metres above sea level, and in its wooded skirts a Kometa Cycling Team once again shone with its own light, which was resisted by the victory, but not by the protagonism. The Hungarian Márton Dina finished second, after the leader Krists Neilands (Israel), and the Andalusian Juan Pedro López finished fifth after a great attack and being hunted within the last kilometre by the yellow jersey in the first person. Stefano Oldani, eighth, consolidated the leadership of the continental squad of the Alberto Contador Foundation in the overall for teams. In the absolute classification, Márton Dina climbs to the second place of the podium, 1:22 of the Latvian Neilands, while López and Oldani are placed in the fifth and eighth position, respectively.
In the premier stage, attitude and aptitude. The climb to Kekesteto focused all the attention and its entity guaranteed that the fight would be led by the first names of the general. The day did not lack a leak (the Slovenian, Gorazd Per, the Hungarian Daniel Morizc and the Australian Cyrus Monk) who led it for much of the morning. The adventure, however, ended when the road led to the grand finale and the stage had less than ten thousand meters left. Teams Androni and Elkov-Autor initially set the pace, but at 6.6 kilometres to the finish four Neri-Sottoli cyclists reached the head of the race and gave it one more point of speed. Only about thirty cyclists, Lopez, Dina and Oldani among them, held. Lebrija’s rider could be seen riding very comfortably in the first positions, behind the leader’s wheel.
At 5.1 was Czech Jan Barta, who would be hunted right on the change of road that was facing 3.3 at the end. The most demanding part of Kekesteto, with constant ramps above 8%. The Colombian Muñoz (Androni) would then attack, but from behind Juan Pedro López ended up arriving in a firm bet for the partial victory. The Andalusian raced with a dozen seconds on a small group, then quartet, in which leader Neilads was accompanied by cyclists Kometa Márton Dina and Stefano Oldani. The Milanese would lose contact a kilometre and a half from the end, while Dina would resist the rhythm of a leader who launched a devastating attack shortly after crossing the ‘flamme rouge’ with which he hunted López, overtook him and went for victory. Dina, trying her best not to let him go definitively, and in a last effort, would manage to reach his wake practically below the finish line, accompanied by his compatriot Attila Valter (CCC).
“We knew that the last three kilometres were the hardest of the climb. I like to play attack. I decided that this was a good time to try it. I don’t know if what I would have expected if I hadn’t done it would have been better, you never know, but it was my moment”, explains Juan Pedro López about his offensive bet.
Jesús Hernández, director of the Kometa Cycling Team: “We had this stage marked in red since the presentation of the race, it was a very important day in which we all had to give the maximum. From kilometre zero the team has been in place, riding clearly, supporting Juan Pedro and Márton on the route, working to tear down the escape… A beastly job. And with a lot of head. Juan Pedro has been spectacular, showing how good a climber he is. He fought for this victory with all his strength. And he deserved it. But Neilands is a more veteran rider who comes from the Giro and is in a formidable moment. Márton also ran very well. We couldn’t win, but the boys gave everything. No one has kept anything to himself. I am very proud of these riders”.
This Sunday the 40th edition of the Tour of Hungary will end with a 169-kilometre stage between Kecskemét and Székesfehérvár, which will host a final circuit to which the riders will complete five laps. A stage to bet again on Michele Gazzoli’s speed options.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
