This year, the distance for the National Road Race Championships was 113 km.
Start: June 29, 2024, 1:30 PM
The race consisted of four laps. It didn’t make things any easier that it was 34 degrees in the shade. Of course, everyone was feeling the heat equally.
There aren’t any major mountains here, so anyone preparing for something is always thinking about a breakaway. This makes execution tricky, as everyone has the same plan and is very attentive.
My task was to help the second-year riders so they could make a break in the third lap. To do this, I worked with two first-year teammates to control the pace of the field. Everything went according to plan, and by the third lap, all three of our second-year riders managed to break away, gaining a solid 20-second lead.
We did everything we could, but the competition was well-prepared as well. Kőbánya brought Pakot Andris back to the front along with the field. In the final lap, Andris faced technical issues. This was our chance to step up while he was swapping bikes, but we decided it was more sportsmanlike to ease off the pace.
As we approached the finish, the MBH train came together nicely: everyone lined up to lead for the second-year riders, especially Takács Zsombor. We all gave it our all, Zsombi included, but Pakot Andris executed a better sprint this time, securing the national championship title for himself and Kőbánya. Zsombi finished as the national champion runner-up.
We were both happy and disappointed because victory was within reach that day. But one thing was certain: we truly came together as a team. It wasn’t our best result, but it was definitely our strongest teamwork.
Special thanks for the photo to Attila Vígh!
