NEWS

Tour De Maccabi, bicycle race to bring Jewish cyclists to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary

August 18, 2022 BUDAPEST – Maccabi Europe is proud to announce the first ever Tour De Maccabi, bicycle race and bike adventure tour. The latest addition to the international Maccabi calendar will take place in August 2023. The 10-day Tour De Maccabi will start in Krakow, Poland on August 13, 2023 and will travel through Slovakia and Hungary, before coming to a roaring finish in front of Europe’s largest synagogue in Budapest.

“There has never been anything like this in Maccabi history,” said the director of the event Andrew G. Szabo, who is a Maccabi Europe medalist and avid long distance cyclist.

Cyclists will ride through regions rich in Jewish history in all three countries. Organizers are devoting ample time for cultural and sightseeing events at every stage. The tour begins with a somber commemoration in Auschwitz on August 12, 2023. The official race kicks off a day later in the romantic old city of Krakow. Riders will pedal through former shtetls and quaint Polish villages to Nowy Sacz and Bardejow. On day four riders have to tackle the Beskid mountains of Slovakia on three short but demanding days while visiting Jewish memorials, cemeteries and museums. Entry into Hungary is celebrated with Shabbat festivities in Mád and Bodrogkeresztur, both important locations of hassidic history. After three days on the Hungarian plains cyclists will reach the finish line in Budapest.

Tour De Maccabi, Jewish bicycle race and tour announced

No stranger to multi-country community adventures, Mr. Szabo, founder of the Budapest-Bamako Rally added, “we created a route that is both athletically challenging for the professional riders while visually stunning and culturally enriching for those who are seeking community adventure”.

The tour is open to participants from all countries and over 50 local Maccabi organizations have already expressed interest in sending riders. Pre-registration is currently open on-line at www.TourDeMaccabi.com . “Our goal is to recreate the atmosphere of camaraderie and shared joy that has been a basic staple of every Maccabi event”, added Mr. Szabo.

The Tour De Maccabi also encourages teams and riders to raise funds to help save, restore and maintain neglected Jewish cemeteries along the Eastern European route. “Charity is the core element of the Tour De Maccabi. Preserving our history and paying respects to our ancestors is a key mission. “, said Adam Jusztin, Maccabi Europe’s sports director.

Exact route

0	August 13	Auschwitz-Krakow	0
1	August 14	Krakow-Nowy Sacz	88 km
2	August 15	Nowy Sacz-Bardejov	65 km
3	August 16	Bardejov-Presov	40km
4	August 17	Presov-Kosice	36 km
5	August 18	Kosice-Bodrogkeresztur	89 km
6	August 19	Bordogkeresztur – Rest Day	0 km
7	August 20	Bordogkeresztur-Mezokovesd	100 km
8	August 21	Mezokovesd-Hatvan	94 km
9	August 22	Hatvan-Budapest	411 km
8 STAGES	10 DAYS	TOTAL	572 km