Two Weeks, a Thousand Kilometers, Into the Heart of the Balkans – Zsolt Kővári's Expedition with GÉPTESZT

Our colleague Zsolt Kővári set out two weeks ago, and the first stage already shows clearly what kind of expedition is taking shape. After the start in Budapest, a personal stop also fit into the journey: in Véménd, his home village, he said goodbye to his birthplace, friends, and loved ones in a talk before setting off on the greatest challenge of his life so far.

Since then he has passed through three countries. After a short detour into Croatia, he reached the heart of the Balkans via Serbia. He passed through Belgrade, then on entering Bulgaria encountered more serious elevation differences and more varied terrain. He left Sofia behind in recent days, closing the first major regional stage.

His route fits well with international cycling axes: after the Danube-side sections he continues along the inner routes of the Balkans, partly following the EuroVelo network — especially routes 6 and 13 — then gradually breaking away from it toward the southeast. This region is well known among long-distance cyclists, yet still less crowded: estimates suggest a few thousand cyclists choose this direction each year.

The Balkans, however, mean a change in more than just a geographic sense. The terrain becomes increasingly broken, daily elevation gains rise noticeably, and traffic situations demand constant adaptation. This stage is no longer about "warming up," but about finding a rhythm.

Zsolt's performance reflects this. Although there was a day when he covered 123 kilometers, the average daily distance is more like 60–70 kilometers. This is a conscious decision: on a journey of nearly 10,000 kilometers it is essential. It is not the daily maximums but the daily distance and pace sustainable over the long term that are decisive.

The numbers are now starting to take on real meaning. In two weeks he has 1,000 kilometers behind him, which means he has already completed one tenth of the total distance. This is the point where the expedition crosses from the departure phase into steady, consciously built progress.

This kind of consistent, step-by-step strategy is close to us as well. In our work too, what matters is what works over the long term: reliability, conscious preparation, and the technical and mental foundation that can be relied on under any circumstances.

The road ahead is still long, but the experience of the first weeks is clear: he is going to make it! Day by day we follow Zsolt's progress on LiveTrack, watching where he is, and he often comes up in conversation at the office. It is a good feeling to see him advance kilometer by kilometer, and it is only natural that the whole GÉPTESZT team is cheering for him.