István Pásztor

István Pásztor was a 10-time Hungarian champion in track cycling events. His most important international achievements were at the 1952 Olympics, where he achieved 10th place in the team pursuit competition. A year later at the 1953 World Championships, he also came 10th in the individual pursuit event. At the World University Championships in Budapest he won one gold medal and two silvers in 1949, and one gold and one silver in 1954. At the 1958 European Championships, Pásztor won a silver medal in the 4,000 metres team pursuit.

Between 1948 and 1953 Pásztor improved his own national record in the 4,000 metres individual pursuit eight times, while between 1949 and 1957, he also set nine national records in the 4,000 metres team pursuit with the then dominant competitors of domestic cycling.

In 1967 Pásztor took over the leadership of the road team’s training, now in the main position. As a new coach he introduced joint training, tough winter preparation, and almost constant training camps for the road team. His greatest success as a coach was sixth place at the 1972 München Olympics. The 100 km road team he trained also finished in the top 10 at the world championships several times.

Unfortunately, Pásztor did not live to see one of his great dreams come true; the reconstruction of the Millenáris Velodrome.