Traditions

The cycling sport in Debrecen has a rich tradition, with two open-air cycling tracks, known as velodromes, existing in the city at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, located on Vágóhíd Street and in Nagyerdő.

Over the past decades, dozens of Hungarian champions have cycled under the colors of Debrecen, and many Debrecen cyclists have stood on the podium at national and prestigious international competitions.

In recent years, due to the systematic and outstanding professional coaching work carried out primarily at the DKSI club, the Hungarian Cycling Federation (MKSZ) has chosen the Debrecen club as a key partner and supported entity in its Lendület Program, making it one of the implementers of the MKSZ strategy.

The Past

The Heroic Age

Debrecen has always played a significant role in cycling. At the end of the 19th century, two open velodromes operated in Debrecen, one on Vágóhíd Street and the other in Nagyerdő. At that time, nearly two dozen similar facilities could be found in Hungary, mostly with cinder, compacted earth, or concrete tracks, with a focus mainly on local competitions.

When DVSC was founded in 1902, it included a cycling division.

The First Successful Period

The first major boom in Debrecen cycling occurred in the 1950s-1980s when cyclists from the Debrecen Postás and DVSC clubs won national championships, earned podium placements, and became members of the national team.

The Second Successful Period

The next boom was in the 1990s and early 2000s, when competitors from the DSI-DVSC clubs won more than 100 championship medals, participated in youth world championships, and 29 athletes competed in the national team wearing Debrecen jerseys.

The Situation in Hungary

MKSZ Strategy and Implementation

In 2016, the Hungarian Cycling Federation (MKSZ) adopted a sport development strategy required by the state for participation in the Key Sports Development Program (KSF). The strategy is titled "Hungarian Cycling Federation Sport Development Strategy 2017-2024, with a sports outlook for 2025-2028."

To achieve the goals outlined in the aforementioned Sport Development Strategy, the MKSZ launched the multi-year Lendület Program in 2019. The essence of the program is to provide significant financial, equipment, and service support, as well as human resources for coaching, to the long-term development and growth of successful and dedicated youth development clubs operating in Hungary.

The Present

Cycling for Transportation

Debrecen is well-suited for cycling as a means of transportation, with no significant elevation changes, no natural waterways dividing the city, and no sprawling city structure. As a result, the city center is reachable from almost every part of the city within a 15-20 minute bike ride. The cycling infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years, with the designated cycling network now exceeding 100 km, and further developments are planned under the New Phoenix Plan. The number of bicycle storage facilities in the city has also increased, with nearly 2,000 bicycle racks available at 240 locations (source: EDC Kft.). In the future, priority should be given to developing a network of cycling routes connecting the surrounding towns.

DSI Cycling Team: The Base for Youth Development and Competition

In 2013, the last generation of Debrecen’s competitive cycling champions founded the DKSI Association to revive road cycling in Debrecen. Thanks to the support from sponsors and consistent professional work, the adult team participated in the Tour de Hongrie cycling race for the first time in 2016, and in 2017, one of their riders finished second overall in the same race. In 2022, DKSI and Debrecen Sports Centre Ltd. jointly established and operate the DSI Cycling Team. Today, DSI is the most successful youth development club in Hungary, evidenced by hundreds of domestic and international podium placements, numerous championship medals, successful EYOF appearances, and former riders joining World Tour teams. Increasing the number of young athletes is now a priority. The DSI Cycling Team offers training and competitions in cyclo-cross, MTB XCO, and road cycling disciplines.

The Hungarian Cycling Federation has selected the DKSI association as one of the main professional centers and supported entities in the Lendület Program, which aims to promote the growth of cycling in Hungary, making DKSI a key executor of its strategy.

Development Concept

Motorization and growing individual transportation are making Debrecen increasingly congested. On average, there are 310 passenger cars (550 in suburban areas) per 1,000 residents in Debrecen, the third-highest rate in the country (source: Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan). About 41% of the active adult population (aged 26-65) travels by car, while only about 7-8% cycle, according to the 2011 census data. The construction of the VeloPark and its integration into the city's cycling network would further increase the popularity of cycling, raise awareness of the sport, and offer numerous opportunities for organizing events that promote cycling.

Despite being home to the country’s most successful cycling club, DKSI, and the highly successful DSI triathlon division, there are no conditions for safe cycling in Debrecen, Hungary's second-largest and most populous city.

Road training takes place on main roads around the city, forcing young athletes to cycle in traffic, leading parents to discourage their children from participating in cycling training, preferring other, "safer" sports.

Younger children and recreational cyclists who want to ride mountain bikes or cyclo-cross on forest trails, either for recreation or competition, can only do so in the Nagyerdő nature reserve.

To provide space for children's cycling education, sports, and the city's recreational and leisure cycling life, a complex, multi-disciplinary, safely fenced, and basic infrastructure-equipped VeloPark is needed.

The VeloPark has a long-term development plan, including an off-road center, an expansion of the race track, and the construction of a 3,500 m² parking lot.

Events to Be Organized at VeloPark:

Cyclo-cross: all international competition formats, including adult World Championships, European Championships, Youth World Championships, and World Cups.
Road Training Circuit: International criterium races, the center for the Road European Championships, start and finish areas, and international youth races.

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