State of the Peloton 2026

[Tim Cahill]

Bálint Makrai done for Dianabol

International Testing Agency-The ITA notifies rider Bálint Makrai (HUN) of an apparent anti-doping rule violation

MBH Bank have had their Tour of Hungary invitation withdrawn;

https://twitter.com/x/status/2045072258868154597

 

[search]

seems unusual that they kick out the first ever Hungarian pro team out of their home race for the positive test of some no name rider, but well... maybe there's more to come.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Bálint Makrai done for Dianabol

International Testing Agency-The ITA notifies rider Bálint Makrai (HUN) of an apparent anti-doping rule violation

MBH Bank have had their Tour of Hungary invitation withdrawn;

https://twitter.com/x/status/2045072258868154597

Seems really bad news for the team ? It's their home race, they did a big team presentation in Budapest in Feb. It's like la vuelta revoking a movistar invite because of lakzano or something

 

[search]

maybe there are some political reasons as well. Not that I'm an expert on Hungary, of course, but they may not to be too keen to risk the state funding by running a team sponsored by the Orban bank.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Seems really bad news for the team ? It's their home race, they did a big team presentation in Budapest in Feb. It's like la vuelta revoking a movistar invite because of lakzano or something

I can't think of any precedent for this, maybe Astana in the 2008 Tour but that was more a systemic thing rather than a 19 year old getting done for a few pills. I'd go with there being something else to it.

 

[Rob5091]

This all happened very quickly - ITA's announcement came out yesterday
https://ita.sport/news/the-ita-noti...un-of-an-apparent-anti-doping-rule-violation/

The ITA reports that a sample collected during an out-of-competition testing mission conducted by the ITA on 30 March 2026 from Bálint Makrai, a rider from Hungary, has returned an AAF1 for metandienone metabolite.

A statement from the main organizer,

https://magyarnemzet.hu/sport/2026/...kerekpar-makrai-mbh-bank-dina#google_vignette

Károly Eisenkrammer, the main organizer of the Tour de Hongrie, made a more detailed statement after the invitation of MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort was withdrawn ...
– The purity of the sport and fair play are more important than anything else. After the brutal, centrally organized doping cases in the 1990s and the busts that shook the Tour de France, there is now a new world, a new approach dominates the sport. The sport paid a very high price for those scandals at the time, and professional cycling was rebuilt after purgatory. Today, the International Cycling Federation punishes not only the guilty athletes, but also the teams, MTI quotes Károly Eisenkrammer, who noted: it is unthinkable that an athlete would find out on his own what to take and what to give himself.


There must be a doctor or other "magician" in the background who is doing this dirty work. That is why we feel it is our moral duty to say goodbye to this team and make the race all about a clean fight

– said Eisenkrammer, who was a bicycle racer himself, including participating in the 1992 Olympics.

"Food contamination" is the excuse - and I would not be surprised if some one tipped off the ITA going by the highlighted text -
https://telex.hu/sport/2026/04/17/e...-eves-magyar-kerekparos-bukott-meg-doppinggal

The 19-year-old Makrai can still request to undergo the so-called B test. Until the investigation is finalized, the federation will not make a statement.

"I can't explain this test because I didn't commit any irregularities. What I can assume is food contamination, and for this reason, we will have products and foodstuffs analysed as much as possible. I would like to absolve the team of all responsibility, given that it is also conducting an internal campaign for ethical sport. We are waiting for the analysis of the B sample. For now, we will have to wait," Makrai was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his club.

 

[Netserk]

but they may not to be too keen to risk the state funding by running a team sponsored by the Orban bank.

yeah changing winds can knock them out

 

[Rob5091]

Two doping stories, one in Italy and one in Hungary - the same theme is doping youngsters.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Two doping stories, one in Italy and one in Hungary - the same theme is doping youngsters.

Thanks God our cycling superheroes aren't as reckless as those youngsters and never get caught dope.