The Slovakian part of the V4 was held in the vicinity of Nová Baňa on Sunday. The race took place on a large and a small circuit totalling nearly 140 kilometres.
Similar to Saturday’s Hungarian leg, attacks began in quick succession right from the start of the race. Team United Shipping had Pelikán János in the breakaway during the first large loop, and later, our Serbian champion Veljko Stojnić also joined an attack. However, the peloton didn’t allow any group to get far. As the race entered the smaller loops, a reduced lead group formed at the front. János, working with Mihajlo Stolić, gradually reeled in riders who dropped from this group.
Cesare Chesini of MBH won the race. János ultimately finished in tenth place, once again earning the title of best Hungarian rider. He also moved into third place in the V4 series’ overall points classification. The final Polish stage of the series will take place next Sunday.
János’s assessment:
“This was a good race too, but the route was a bit difficult, the climb at the end was too steep. That didn’t sit well with me, but it is what it is. We attacked again from the very beginning, but the bunch caught every attempt. Then in the second big lap there was a promising breakaway, which I was also in, but in the end I was dropped, the pace was too high. I slipped back into the peloton, but luckily after that we caught the breakaway and the peloton was basically together until the small laps. From then on everyone was fighting for their lives – me too. From the first lap we rode together with Mihajlo, we constantly caught the groups from the front, even in the third lap. And in the end I finished tenth after a sprint. I’m satisfied, I believed in the morning that I wasn’t able to rest so well after yesterday’s race, but then on the bike the feelings were good.”
Mihajlo’s words after the race:
At the first V4 race on Saturday in Hungary, I wasn’t a protected rider, so I focused on covering breakaways and supporting our leaders, Veljko and János. János made the decisive move and finished second. It was a strong day overall and a result we’re proud of as a team.
In Slovakia, the race featured a very demanding course – hilly, technical, and with narrow roads and descents. From the warm-up, I felt great, which confirmed my sensations from the previous day. Although I wasn’t the protagonist, I supported my teammates until Veljko told me to save energy for the harder parts. In the final laps, a selection brought the group down to around 20 riders. János and I worked well together. In the third lap, he attacked with one other rider while I rode the final kilometers with another, finishing 18th.
These two days were a big confirmation that my form is on point heading into the second part of the season. We’re happy with how the team rode and the results we achieved under tough conditions.
An official photo gallery of the competition is available on the official Facebook page. Live coverage of the race can be watched on Youtube.
📷Photo: Silvia Cibuľová / VISEGRAD 4 BICYCLE Race 2025 – official photos