Balász Pollner

Balazs was one of two Hungarian cyclists to join the Contador Foundation’s U19 project for 2022, an arrival that further strengthened the intense collaboration between the Foundation and the Hungarian Cycling Federation through the fundamental support of Kometa. “Although Hungary is a really flat country, I think I’m a rider who climbs well at the moment. My dream is to become a professional cyclist and, if that happens, to have the opportunity to race in the grand tours. A Tour, a Giro, a Vuelta, all three! Of course, being a professional, to achieve good results in my career,” he said at the time. It could still be said that Bálazs is a newcomer to road cycling; with previous experience in triathlon or modalities such as mountain biking and cyclo-cross, the Budapest native is focusing more exclusively on the road since 2021. In his first season, competing for his home country’s Kőbánya Cycling Team, he signed an interesting debut in his first race: a second-place finish in fourth at the Grand Prix West Bohemia. “Strade Bianche is possibly one of the most attractive races on the calendar and, in terms of riders, my favourite rider is Jumbo-Visma’s American Sepp Kuss. It’s a profile I feel very identified with,” he says. In 2022, he won the Hungarian time trial title in his category and finished second in the road race. He showed those performances in the time trial during several moments of the season, especially in a Vuelta a Valladolid in which he managed to finish fifth overall.