O pretekoch

Visegrad 4 Bicycle Race

Dámy a páni,

Vážení priatelia športu, priaznivci cyklistiky,

Cyklistika je na Slovensku populárna. Je tradičnou formou oddychu aj športu. V poslednej dobe si našla mnoho nových fanúšikov ako ekologický prostriedok pre každodenný pohyb po meste. Spája ľudí, spája mestá. Spája generácie. A hlavne spája aj štáty.
Cyklistické preteky V4 zapadajú do tejto filozofie a pokračujú v prezentovaní nášho regiónu, jeho krás a dominánt. Plne podporujem myšlienku pretekov – spájať ľudí našich krajín.
Slovensko preberie ročné predsedníctvo vo Vyšehradskej skupine 1. júla 2022. Cyklistické preteky V4 podčiarkujú priority nášho predsedníctva, ktoré chceme zamerať na ľudí s cieľom priniesť konkrétny prospech pre našich občanov.
Chcel by som poďakovať organizátorom pretekov – cyklistickým federáciám krajín V4 za vynaložené úsilie a entuziazmus. Osobitne chcem poďakovať Medzinárodnému vyšehradskému fondu za jeho dlhodobú finančnú podporu pri organizovaní tohto podujatia.
Všetkým pretekárom želám veľa síl!

Dear friends of sport, fans of cycling,
Cycling is popular in Slovakia. It has traditionally been related to leisure and racing. Recently, it has found many new fans as eco-friendly means of daily urban transportation. It connects people; it connects towns. It connects generations. Finally, it connects countries.
The V4 Bicycle Race fits well into this philosophy and continues to promote our region, its beauty and landmarks. I give full support to the idea behind this race – to connect people of our countries.
Slovakia will take over a one-year rotating presidency in the Visegrad Group on 1st July 2022. The V4 Bicycle Race highlights the priorities of our presidency focusing on people in order to bring concrete benefits to our citizens.
I would like to thank the organizers of the race, the Cycling Federation of the V4 countries, for their efforts and enthusiasm. A special thank goes to the International Visegrad Fund for the long-term financial support for this event.
I wish all the racers much strength!

Ivan Korčok
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, Patron of the V4 Bicycle Race in Slovakia

Greetings to the participants of V4 Bicycle Race

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Cyclists,

In 2021, the Visegrad Group celebrated the thirty anniversary of its founding and in 2022 has started 4th decade. We still continue to promoteour togetherness and readiness to make Central Euroean region more fair and competitive. I am very happy that the Visegrad Bicycle Race has been encouragingthese two values in a field of cycling for a long time.
Please allow me to express my gratitude to the V4 cycling federations for thein efforts to organize the race that encourages relations among the Visegrad Countries.
I appreciate the generous support of the International Visegrad Fund in this respect.
Let me wish good luck to all participants involved in this year´s race. I hope the race will show again the natural spirit of cooperation within the countries of the Visegrad region.

Jakub Kulhánek, MA
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Patron of the V4 Bicycle Race in Czech Republic

Dear Riders,

I am pleased to extend my patronage, once again, over this flagship sports event organised by the cycling federations from the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, especially as Poland recently (until June 30th, 2021) held the rotating presidency of the Visegrad Group.
I would like to thank the organisers of this year’s edition of this Central European race, and all those who have made this endeavour possible, for their valuable contribution to this dimension of regional cooperation.
The V4 Bicycle Race embodies the spirit of cooperation and friendship between Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia – the four partners who have much in common, share values and goals. I’m convinced that the Visegrad 4 Bicycle Race as a sport event has an important role to play in strengthening dialogue between our societies and in enhancing people-to-people contacts which are prerequisites to good-neighbourly relations and mutual understanding. I am also glad that this Race offers the opportunity to promote our four countries as attractive tourist destinations.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, I would like to wish all Racers every success and luck in this special regional competition, in the spirit of V4 partnership. I also wish all participants and spectators a lot of joy in discovering our splendid regions!

Zbigniew Rau
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Patron of the V4 Bicycle Race in Poland

Dear Visitor!

The trials of the past few years have transformed our lives in an almost unprecedented way. Our daily activities, our relationships, our living and working conditions have changed almost overnight. The power of togetherness, of belonging together, has been enhanced, from the smallest unit in society, the family, to relations between countries and nations. In its more than thirty years of modern history,the Visegrad Four (V4) group has proved time and again to the disbelievers the importance and,more importantly,the viability of cooperation along common denominators.
The Hungarian course of the V4 Bicycle Race, which is held as the opening event of the V4 Presidency year and which is growing in popularity every year,traditionally starts in Budapest and finishes in the thousand year old town of Pannonhalma. The 9th edition of this sporting event,supported by the Visegrad Fund,will also offer a glimpse of our cultural heritage and tourist attractions through sport.
In addition to the stunning scenery, the sporting value of the event is also huge, as the competitors will be able to earn Olympic qualification points - an opportunity for 176 athletes from more than 20 countries.
I wish all participants a successful race and a great performance!

Tamás Menczer
State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Patron of the V4 Bicycle Race in Hungary