• 2026-05-13
• Tour de Hongrie

Merlier won the opening stage of Tour de Hongrie

The opening stage of the 47th Tour de Hongrie ended in a bunch sprint. On the 143-kilometer route between Gyula and Békéscsaba, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) won ahead of Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious). Merlier also took the lead in the general classification.

The 2026 Tour de Hongrie kicked off at the foot of Gyula Castle. A total of 112 riders from 19 teams lined up behind the starting line, where Károly Eisenkrammer, the race’s general director, Dr. Ernő Görgényi, mayor of Gyula, and Dr. Mátyás Falvai, CEO of the National Event Management Agency, cut the starting ribbon.

The 143-kilometer stage did not feature any significant climbs, but strong winds made for a tense race. Right at the start of the stage, a crash rattled the peloton, forcing Belgian rider Senne Thonnon (Team Flanders Baloise) to seek medical help. With 40 km to go, another crash forced riders like Kelland O'Brien (Jayco AlUla) and Harn Vanhoucke (Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) on the ground, but they were all able to continue.

The day’s breakaway was led by two Danish riders from Lidl-Trek, Kristian Egholm and Mathias Sunekaer Norsgaard, though their lead never exceeded 2 minutes. Egholm won all three intermediate sprints, moving him up to 2nd place in the overall standings. Behind the duo, a fierce battle for seconds unfolded in the time trials—thanks to this, Benoit Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates) gained a three-second advantage over his rivals in the general classification.

The breakaway riders were caught 10 kilometers from the finish. In the final kilometers, Sweden’s Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) attempted an attack, but his effort was unsuccessful. In the bunch sprint, three-time Tour de France stage winner Tim Merlier delivered a dominant performance, winning decisively ahead of Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious). Bálint Kárpáti was the top Hungarian, finishing in 10th place. Within the final kilometer, one of the race’s top contenders, Slovenian Jakob Omrzel, was involved in a crash—but he managed to roll across the finish line, albeit with some scrapes.

On May 14, the Hungarian Cycling Tour continues with the longest stage of this edition, between Szarvas and Paks. The 206-kilometer stage once again favors the sprinters, but the final kilometer features a slight climb, which could upset the expected outcome.

47th Tour de Hongrie, Stage 1 (Gyula - Békéscsaba, 143 km)

1. Tim Merlier (BEL, Soudal Quick-Step) 2:52:56
2. Juan Sebastian Molano (COL, UAE Team Emirates) +0:00
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER, Bahrain Victorious) +0:00
4. Simone Buda (ITA, Solme Olmo Arvedi) +0:00
5. Max Kanter (GER, XDS Astana Team) +0:00
6. Nicolo Parisini (ITA, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) +0:00
7. Fernando Gaviria (COL, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) +0:00
8. Lorenzo de Longhi (ITA, Campana Imbalaggi - Morbiato Trentino) +0:00
9. Tyler Stites (USA, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling) +0:00
10. Bálint Kárpáti (Hungary) +0:00

General Classification:

1. Tim Merlier (BEL, Soudal Quick-Step) 2:52:56
2. Kasper Egholm (DEN, Lidl - Trek) +0:01
3. Juan Sebastian Molano (COL, UAE Team Emirates) +0:04
4. Mathias Sunekaer Norsgaard (DEN, Lidl - Trek) +0:04
5. Phil Bauhaus (GER, Bahrain Victorious) +0:06
6. Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA, UAE Team Emirates) +0:07
7. Simone Buda (ITA, Solme Olmo Arvedi) +0:10
8. Max Kanter (GER, XDS Astana Team) +0:10
9. Nicolo Parisini (ITA, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) +0:10
10. Fernando Gaviria (COL, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) +0:10

Leader of the points classification: Tim Merlier (BEL, Soudal Quick-Step) 20 points

Results: HERE