Hungarian Homecoming beckons for Kusztor as Team Novo Nordisk returns to the Tour de Hongrie
26 August 2020
Atlanta, GA – Two-time National Champion Peter Kusztor is set to return to racing on his home roads at the Tour de Hongrie, which kicks off on Saturday. The five-day race will serve as Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all diabetes professional cycling team, third stage race since the season restart.
Coming off the back of a top 20 overall at last week’s Tour du Limousin, Kusztor is looking forward to racing at his home tour, “I am really happy to be racing at the Tour de Hongrie this year,” said Kusztor. “I didn’t race in the last couple of editions and it’s always nice to be racing on home roads and we have a lot of motivation to do well in Hungary.”
2020 marks the seventh year of the race and joining Kusztorwill be Frenchman Charles Planet, who makes a return to roads where he has ridden strongly in the past with second place in the prologue back in 2018.
“We have a strong team lined up for the Tour de Hongrie,” began General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “It’s a balanced squad ready for any scenario that the race will throw at us.”
Heading straight from France and Limousin, Manxman Sam Brand and versatile Italian sprinter Andrea Peron are travelling directly to Hungary while Finland’s Joonas Henttala re-joins the team for his first race since the restart following an impressive third place in the Finnish National Road Race Championship last Sunday. Completing the line-up is experienced Spanish climber David Lozano.
“The guys have some racing in their legs now,” continued Davidenko. “The Tour of Hungary is one of the priority races on our racing calendar. Peter is racing at home and he will be ready to show his top performance. After five months without racing, we are finally back to our top competitive level. We are ready for a top performance.”
Covering 817 kilometres over five days of racing, the 2020 edition has something for everyone. The opening stage ascends the same second category climb three times and has the potential for an early look at the GC contenders, followed by three flat stages that suit the sprinters and finally the fifth stage with a summit finish up to Gyongyos-Kekesteto that will surely decide the race.
“The Tour de Hongrie is a higher UCI category now,” said Kusztor. “That’s great for the race and for Hungary. After our recent block of racing and training, we are ready to do well there.”
“It won’t be an easy race, that’s for sure. The field is very strong with five WorldTour teams present and the parcours will be difficult even on the flat stages because of the expected high speed. Nonetheless it will be very special for me to race with my teammates in my country and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Five days, five stages, and five opportunities. With the mixed terrain and a world- class field, the Tour de Hongrie will be a challenging and exciting race and Team Novo Nordisk will need all their versatility to make the most of the chances that come.
“Due to the short season, all the remaining races are very fast and very hard, including the Tour of Hungary,” concluded Davidenko. “Every rider in the peloton is looking for an opportunity to show his best results and there is only a little over two months of racing left. We have seen at all races that the level of competition is stronger than ever, and we expect a very fast and tough race.”
“We have a very complete team ready for the GC, the sprints and the breakaway opportunities. Starting with the opening stage, we should be able to analyse our chances for a GC result and the last stage will be key for the final General Classification.”
Team Novo Nordisk at the Tour de Hongrie 29 th August – 2nd September:
Sam Brand (GBR, 29)
Joonas Henttala (FIN, 28)
Peter Kusztor (HUN, 35)
David Lozano (ESP, 31)
Andrea Peron (ITA, 31)
Charles Planet (FRA, 26)
Tour de Hongrie stages:
Saturday 29 th August, Stage 1: Esztergom – Esztergrom, 118km
Sunday 30 th August, Stage 2: Debrecen – Hajduszobos, 158km
Monday 31 st August, Stage 3: Karcag – Nyiregyhaza, 182km
Tuesday 1 st September, Stage 4: Sarospatak – Kazincbarcika, 171km
Wednesday 2 nd September, Stage 5: Miskolc – Gyongyos-Kekesteto, 188km