12 May - 16 May 2021

TEAM Pro Team

STAGES 5

TEAM Pro Team STAGES 5

TOUR DE HONGRIE OPENS WITH A CHAOTIC SPRINT AND PERON JUST OUTSIDE THE TOP 20

Head Sports Director Massimo Podenzana:

“Well, I think it’s fair to say that today woke the legs up! It was a pretty hard stage and like all the races we have done this year, it was very fast. We had two objectives today, we wanted to get up the road in the breakaway to try and have a chance of getting in the KOM jersey like last year and secondly to help Mehdi over the climbs and support him in the sprint at the end.”

“Three guys went away after around 30kilometers and we weren’t there, so Charles tried to bridge across, but those guys weren’t waiting and around and it was too much for him to do alone.

“By that point we knew we had left it too late to get any of the available KOM points and had to settle for trying to go for something in the sprint. Mehdi was caught too far back, so Andrea tried his best, but it was very hectic, and he was a little short of the top 20 guys.”

Andrea Peron

“We all tried to get something going with a breakaway right from the start today, but because of the early intermediate sprint the bunch didn’t want to let anything go and when the trio went, we were too far back and Charles tried to make it over, but he was wasting too much energy stuck in the middle on his own.”

“The final sprint was quite chaotic, fast and technical before the line and we initially wanted to work for Mehdi, but he had to hit the brakes on the last corner and fell back. I tried to adjust and move up to have a chance of the top ten, but there just wasn’t enough road. For sure we will try again tomorrow, every stage apart from Saturday will most likely end in a sprint and that’s three more chances for us.”

WET ROADS, UPHILL KICKERS AND LATE CRASHES ON SECOND STAGE IN HUNGARY

Sports Director Gennady Mikhaylov:

“There was a crash very early on the bottom of the first climb and we got caught out behind it. Subsequently we missed the break. Seven guys went clear after the crash and that was it until the last ten kilometers.”

“We knew the final was going to be quite technical with successive roundabouts and it was made more technical with the wet roads. There was another crash as the break was caught and we tried to bring Andrea back up, but we were a little too far back. Considering the difficulties in the final, to place 21st is pretty good and it was very good to see the guys working together to help Andrea over the last 20 kilometers.”

Andrea Peron:

“I actually finished a little better today than yesterday even if the stage was harder, but to be honest I’m feeling like I’m missing a bit of top end after having a little break after the Tour of Turkey and it would be great if we can go better again tomorrow.”

“We were all together as a team for most of the stage and that’s a great feeling, having your teammates around you, supporting you to try and get the best result possible.”

Charles Planet:

“Me and David tried to get in the break today, but we missed the key attack, and that was the attack that formed the breakaway, Afterwards, I have to say we worked well together for Andrea, but we know we need to try and stay up there with him for as long as possible and unfortunately today we struggled to be there until the last kilometer.

“We split in the final five kilometers when the speed really ramped up and that is exactly the point where we need to fight to be together. We know that and that’s what we are aiming for tomorrow.”

LOZANO LEADS FROM THE FRONT ON STAGE 3 IN HUNGARY AS LATE CRASH TAKES DOWN PERON & BENAHMOUDA

Head Sports Director Massimo Podenzana:

It’s been our intention since the first stage. To get someone up the road in the breakaway, show our jersey to the world and also ease the pressure on our guys in the bunch who are asked with looking after Andrea and Mehdi so they can try in the final sprint.”

“Today that plan worked out really nicely, it took a while for the move to go, but when it went David was at the front, attentive and he made it into the group. We knew there wasn’t much chance of the move staying away, the big sprinters teams would always want to bring things back together ahead of tomorrow’s Queen Stage.

“David worked hard, and he kept trying to drive the group on into the closing kilometers, but they were caught ten kilometers from the finish, then first Mehdi went down and then Andrea in the final kilometer. That finished our chances for the sprint. Thankfully they are both ok. Andrea finished, but Mehdi had to be taken for a check-up, so won’t start tomorrow.”

David Lozano:

“Man, we have been trying every day to get into the breakaway and despite our efforts it didn’t happen, so I am really happy that we made it today. It was hard, but the stage was relatively short, and I felt good out there.”

“At first there were only three of us out there, we attacked on a short rise after the first climb and then two more guys came across. As a quintet we worked well together, I tried to go for some KOM points and managed to pick up a couple, but the other guy had a better sprint than me. Still, it was great to get out front again, it’s been a while for me, and I enjoyed it.”

TOUR DE HONGRIE QUEEN STAGE THE DECIDER AHEAD OF SUNDAY’S FINALE IN BUDAPEST

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana

“Everyone was waiting for today to see the race explode for the GC battle on the climbs and it happened. After the early break was caught the main contenders started to move. We wanted to try and stay with the front group with David and Peter, but after Mehdi not starting due to a broken collarbone and Andrea feeling the effects of yesterday’s crash, it was difficult to give them full support.”

“Nevertheless, the guys gave it everything and it was only on the last climb that they lost contact with the leading group as the race split apart. Those moves by the overall contenders all but decided the GC and tomorrow’s short stage in Budapest will be a fast one, over pretty quickly and certainly end in a sprint.”

“It was hard for our guys today and Andrea went deep trying to help Peter on the last climb, so we will see if he can recover a little to try again tomorrow in the sprint.”

Peter Kusztor

To be completely open and honest…I couldn’t go with the last attacks. It was super-fast and aggressive. We were there going into the last 10 kilometers, but as soon as the gradient stiffened and the accelerations got stronger, we fell back.”

“I have to thank the guys, because they worked for me today, especially Andrea as he was there with me right until the end and our teamwork was very good, but we couldn’t do more.”

TOUR DE HONGRIE CLOSES WITH FAST DOWNTOWN SPRINT IN CENTRAL BUDAPEST

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“We had our fair share of misfortune this week. Crashes took out Mehdi and Andrea, sickness meant Charles couldn’t finish the race and we ended up with three guys on the start line for today’s last stage in Budapest.”

“It was always going to end in a sprint finish, 92 flat kilometers in and around Budapest and the overall was decided yesterday, so our only objective today was to try and get someone in the breakaway to show our jersey and try something in the final.”

“The breakaway went straight out of the start and we missed the move, all we could do from there was try to help Peter to a high finish. We placed in the bunch, behind the sprinters and now we need to recover for the Tours of Mirabelle and Estonia at the end of the month.”

Sam Brand:

“I came into the race not feeling 100%, I had some stomach problems, but gradually started to feel better each day, more like myself and able to do something to help the team. Today we really wanted to try and get in the breakaway and show ourselves at the front of the race.”

“The move went super early, four guys led by Astana and we weren’t there. We were surprised a little by how quickly it went, and the situation didn’t really change until the final lap when it really ramped up for the sprint.”

“We did the best we could without a sprinter today and both David and Peter were flying with the group at the end, but we weren’t able to finish higher than in the middle of the pack. I’m looking ahead to Estonia now and some of the other guys to Mirabelle, it will be important to recover and regroup as we have goals we want to achieve.”

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