Planet strikes out in breakaway and Kopecky sprints to eighth in Hungary

10 May 2023

The opening stage of the Tour de Hongrie started with a bang for Team Novo Nordisk with Frenchman Charles Planet animating the days breakaway before young Czech talent Matyas Kopecky sprinted to a superb eighth place in a star studded bunch sprint.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“Very happy with our performance today, we almost did everything right. It was important for us to try and get up the road in the early break and Charles wanted it badly. He initiated the move with the first attack and if he hadn’t missed one sprint he would be in the climbers jersey now, but we can’t complain.”

“After that It came down to the sprint and we decided that Matyas would be the one to have a go today. If you look at the field of sprinters here, it’s the best guys in the world so for the kid to get top ten and finish eighth is great. Let’s keep it up now and try for more over the next few days.”

Charles Planet:

“I’ve made it back to racing and now I’ve made it back into the breakaway, so yes, I really feel like I’m returning now. I’m quite angry with myself because it was one sprint that I missed to get a jersey, but we will try again tomorrow.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“Ah man. Eighth against these guys is amazing. They’re the best sprinters in the world and to be up there competing on the first opportunity is a really good feeling.”

“The guys did such an amazing job all day, I felt no wind, Filippo was next to me the whole time and with Charles up the road in the break we had no pressure on us in the bunch. It’s an almost perfect start for us.”