The 144-kilometer route of the Hungarian National Road Championships transformed into a true war of attrition, marked by an oppressive 41-degree average temperature. Confronting six large laps and two and a half smaller circuits, the peloton faced eight punishing ascents of the iconic Abbey climb. Team management designed a clear blueprint before the rollout, instructing the squad to animate the early moves to establish tactical control over the race. Our support staff executed an immaculate feeding strategy in the intense heat, distributing crucial water and ice across the designated zones to keep the riders functioning. The definitive move of the day was established by Zsombor Takács of the MBH Bank Colpack Ballan team, who launched a spectacular 50-kilometer solo raid to capture the national title. Despite a series of mid-race setbacks and structural fragmentation in the chase, our lone surviving front-runner utilized precise pacing to capture a magnificent third place for the team.
János on the early break and the 585-watt surge
Our plan was to get into the early breakaway. I launched the first attack of the day, creating a 12-rider move that successfully included my teammates András Pakot and Csongor Kardos. On the first proper ascent of the Abbey climb, I pushed a hard pace on the front to keep the momentum going, averaging an astonishing 585 watts. This effort shattered the group, trimming the breakaway down to nine riders.
The winning move and late-race misfortune
With 50 kilometers remaining, Zsombor Takács launched a powerful solo attack on the descent. Right after he escaped, misfortune struck our team when Csongor Kardos suffered a critical puncture and dropped back. I was left completely isolated as the only representative of our team in the chasing group, forcing me to rely on my own pacing as we rotated in the sweltering heat.
A tactical finale and a historic podium
On the final small circuits, I focused on maintaining a steady tempo, averaging 470 watts on the climbs while the other riders began to collapse from their explosive efforts. Bálint Kárpáti escaped on the penultimate ascent, but I managed to overtake the remaining chasers near the 400-meter board. I went completely all out on the final climb to finish third. This podium means a lot to me, it has been exactly ten years since I was national champion, and standing on the championship podium in 2026 feels incredible.
Csongor’s insight on his first elite championships
I was in good shape up front. I really regret that I got a puncture, because if I could have stayed there, I think we had the tactical cards to play for a higher step on the podium.
We got a 4-minute advantage in a way that in the first 2 hours and 30 minutes, I had a 250 average watt baseline. The pace was highly tactical up front: we would trade sharp turns for a few minutes, then the group would stall and watch each other.
When Zsombor launched his move, I was already sitting on a 270-watt average for the race from working the break. But Zsombor’s numbers were just on another level: he finished the day with a 300-watt average. It is crazy how he could just ride away like that, and the time gaps show exactly how dominant he was. Overall, I think this was the maximum we could bring out of it. I think everyone was good yesterday, whether they rode for 1 hour, collapsed from the heat, or didn’t make the break. Let’s continue the work as we have so far, and eventually, it will pay off.
Photo: Marcell Lippai
