The second stage of Our Giro focuses on Hungary, which was to be the host of the Grande Partenza this year.
Join Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe as they ask why Hungary has not produced as many international class riders as comparable nations. Only one Hungarian – László Bodrogi, a contemporary of Fabian Cancellara and Filippo Pozzato in the Mapei development squad at the start of this century – has taken part in the Tour de France. No Hungarian has won the Peace Race.
But that might change because two promising 21-year-olds turned professional for World Tour teams this season. We hear from both – Mitchelton-Scott’s Barnabás Peák and Team CCC’s Atilla Valter. Could they develop a rivalry similar to Pog and Rog in Slovenia in future?
The biggest name in Hungarian cycling in recent years is also one of the most controversial. Istvan Varjas occupies a space where e-bike technology meets motor ‘doping’. We hear from the subject of documentaries and articles as he expresses scepticism at the UCI’s battery detection methods. It’s also ironic that Varjas’s e-racing team won the e-Giro a couple of years ago.
We introduce a couple of semi-regular features for this Giro – Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport picks the first rider for his Dream Team. Who is it? Who else could it be but his Soul Sister? And in il Ristorante, Lionel discusses Hungary’s national dish, goulash, with award-winning food writer Felicity Cloake. Is it a soup, or is it a stew? He then cooks it for Felicity to run her forensic eye over.
The Cycling Podcast is supported by iwoca and Science In Sport.
COMING TOMORROW…
It’s film night on The Cycling Podcast so check out Stars and Watercarriers on YouTube before Monday’s stage three goes live. We speak to filmmaker Jørgen Leth about the documentary which followed the 1973 Giro from its start in Verviers, Belgium.
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