Published on : 05/13/2026
The 2026 Tour de Hongrie got underway today with an opening stage between Gyula and Békéscsaba (143 km), set entirely across the flat plains of eastern Hungary. A perfectly flat parcours designed for the sprinters, with a circuit finish through the streets of Békéscsaba and long exposed roads that made for a more nervous day than expected. A special occasion for Cofidis, partner of the race and present in this territory through its Hungarian subsidiary.
The day got off to a tense start with a mass crash involving Sergio Samitier among others. Two riders then broke clear to form the day's breakaway. The duo held on until around ten kilometres from the finish before being swept up by the charging peloton. Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier ultimately dominated the bunch sprint to take the win. Alexis Renard contested the sprint and finished 18th.
There is still a long week ahead. See you tomorrow for Stage 2 between Szarvas and Paks (205 km), with a punchier finish in store.
Reaction from Roberto Damiani, Sports Director:
"We knew it was going to be a really hectic stage with three crashes. It came down to a sprint, with two or three teams lining up for their sprinters. We don't really have a leadout, so we tried to position Alexis Renard as well as possible. I spoke with him and he told me it was absolute carnage in the finale. It wasn't easy to take more risks. He gave it a go but no concrete result today. We're already looking ahead to tomorrow. It's similar to today, a sprint stage, slightly different in the finale with an uphill finish, but I think we'll have the same set-up as today."