The Hungarian leg of the V4 race took place on Saturday, spanning the route between Budapest and Pannonhalma. True to the race’s tradition, riders launched attacks from the very first kilometers. Team United Shipping was prominently featured in nearly every attempt to break away.
Ultimately, a successful breakaway formed with twelve riders, including János Pelikán and Catalin-Luca Campean. Our young Romanian rider, unfortunately, lost contact with the breakaway on the first Pannonhalma climb. However, János Pelikán launched an attack on the group shortly thereafter.
On the penultimate climb, János was caught by Dario Igor Belletta, who ultimately went on to win the race. Despite this, János successfully held onto his second-place position and secured the best Hungarian rider’s title. The V4 series will continue tomorrow in Slovakia.
János’s assessment:
“I felt really good all day, and I saw that in the crosswind the peloton was breaking up. I didn’t want to miss it, so I tried. After fifty kilometers, a breakaway formed, including me and Luca. We worked well together, and we had a one-two-minute lead. After the first pass, 10 of us were left in front, and the watching began. The group split in two, and I stayed behind. I attacked them, picked up the pace for the first group. Then, 18 kilometers before the finish, I attacked them too, because I knew that if we arrived to Pannonhalma together, I would have less of a chance on this steep slope. I succeeded, but on the penultimate pass, the Italian guy caught up and kept his lead.”
Luca after the race:
It was hectic from the start, the break formed pretty late, and on the first climb everything exploded. I managed to get in the break with János. That was the plan from the start, so that’s what we did. I don’t know how much I helped to János, because today he was a powerhouse.
📷Photos: Zoltán Vanik / bringasport.hu, Marcell Lippai