To conquer the second stage of Tour of Hungary 2024 it is the timeless Mark Cavendish. Masterfully launched by his teammates, the British sprinter managed to put the wheel in front of the Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla) and the Spanish Jon Aberasturi (Euskaltel-Euskadi). For the 38 year old from Astana Qazaqstan this victory, number 164 in his career, also allows him to jump to second place in the provisional general classification, five seconds behind Martin Voltr (Pierre Baguette Cycling), who also earned bonuses today by going on the run. Fifth and sixth place of the day for two Italians, Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) ed Elia Viviani (Ineos Grenadiers).
The video of the arrival
The story of the race
It takes about five kilometers before the day’s breakaway is born, consisting of Zsolt Istlstekker (Epronex-Hungary Cycling Team), Siebe Deweirdt (Team Flanders-Baloise), Christian Bagatin (Team MBH Bank Colpack Ballan) and, for the second day in a row, by Martin Voltr (Pierre Baguette Cycling). The group is happy to leave space and gives these men up to three minutes of advantage, a gap that drops to 2’30” after the Erdőbénye GPM thanks to the work of Bora hansgrohe And Team Jayco AlUlaremaining so for long kilometers.
Having entered the last 50, the gap slowly begins to decrease, dropping below one minute in the approach to the GPM of Late, where the skirmishes between the fugitives begin. Along the climb, in fact Bagatin accelerates, conquers the GPM and climbs the top alone with a good margin of seconds over his former escape companions, while the platoon loses something again, passing the top with little more than a minute late. In the following kilometres, having caught up with the other attackers, the Italian saw the group approaching, maintaining about ten seconds to -10 from the end and then being caught again before the last eight kilometres.
Shortly afterwards, at -6, there is a bad fall in the group for Dusan Rajovic (Bahrain Victorious), which also involves Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe): the Serbian national champion remains on the ground very sore, while the German manages to return to the group immediately. The final sprint is well set up by the long train of Astana Qazaqstanwho in the final 300 meters perfectly throws a Mark Cavendish who manages to resist the return of the attacker Dylan Groenewegen and he’s going to take a nice victory in the sprint. A brilliant success that gives us hope in view of the Tour de France in July, a race in which Cannonball will seek the historic 35th stage seal.
