Kopecky blasts back into form with 12th in Hungary

Czech sprinter Matyas Kopecky blew away the cobwebs for Team Novo Nordisk on stage one of the Tour de Hongrie today sprinting into 12^th place in Györ and leaving the lingering effects of recent sickness well and truly in the dust.

The longest stage of the centenary edition started in front of big crowds bathed in sunshine in Budapest and headed west for 210km. An early breakaway quartet went clear in the first hour, but there was no doubt that this mainly flat stage was one for the sprinters.

“As I said in the preview a few days ago, my preparation wasn’t ideal coming into Tour de Hongrie,” said Kopecky. “So to start the race with a twelfth place is really satisfying. I felt much more like myself, physically, mentally. Everything positive and that makes a big difference to the performance.”

“The guys did a good job throughout the stage, particularly Filippo and Umberto doing into the final and despite the length, I still had good legs at the end. I was boxed in on the left and couldn’t break out in the last 100m, but the signs are really good for the next days.”