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A cyclo-cross race will be held this weekend in Debrecen.
VeloPark Debrecen will host the European Cup qualifying rounds. On the 19th and the 20th of October, more than a hundred cyclists will compete against each other.
This year, the most prestigious competition ever, the qualification for the European Cup, will take place on the cyclo-cross, or off-road, track. According to the cyclist of DSI (Debrecen Sports School), Jr. Béla Kovács, there are many advantages to competing more and more on hometown tracks.
“The track makes our preparation very easy, and the fact that we can compete without travelling is also very beneficial, and of course, the home environment is also critical. It gives us extra motivation,” he said.
The European Cycling Union is organising the 2024 Cyclo-Cross European Cup in Debrecen in cooperation with the Debrecen Sportcentrum.
The sport is growing dynamically not only in the region but also worldwide.
“We hope that soon this sport will also appear at the Olympics, and I think that if we start organising competitions at the right time and build up the supply of young athletes at the right time, we can achieve serious results in the future,” CEO of DSI András Becsky said.
Debrecen has a 112-kilometre network of cycle paths, so cycling is becoming increasingly part of people’s everyday lives. Besides hobby cycling, classic and extreme cycling are popular, but VeloPark is unique.
“We have recently created a facility that cannot be found in East-Central Europe, only in Western Europe. The closest one is in the Benelux States. This has enabled us to reach a segment that is an additional level in the sporting life of Debrecen,” Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa said.
More than a hundred competitors will compete in the European Youth Cup rounds here this weekend. Visitors will not be bored in November either. At the beginning of next month, a double race weekend will be organized for mountain bikers.
Source: debrecen.hu
