FROM WROCŁAW TO WIELICZKA

For the second year in a row, the Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour started from Centennial Hall in Wrocław. The opening stages once again took place on the picturesque yet demanding roads of Lower Silesia. Along the way, the colorful peloton also visited Silesia, the famous Tatra mountain towns, and Wieliczka, where the race concluded with an individual time trial.

A STAR IS BORN

As always, the race was packed with exciting finishes, with some of the world’s top riders taking stage victories. The first overall leader of the ORLEN classification was the Dutchman Olav Kooij, who has already claimed multiple wins in Poland – both in the Tour de Pologne and the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix.

In the following stages, Paul Lapeira, Ben Turner, and Paul Magnier took victories – the latter being an emerging star who celebrated his first win in such a prestigious event. The Soudal–QuickStep rider was unbeatable on the cobbled finish in Cieszyn and has now notched up an impressive 19 wins in the 2025 season.

UAE TEAM DOMINATES IN POLAND AS WELL

The overall victory was decided on the mountain stages in Zakopane and Bukowina Tatrzańska, as well as the time trial in Wieliczka. Paul Lapeira of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale fought hard to defend his leader’s jersey but couldn’t hold on to it on the steep Tatra climbs. Victor Langellotti of INEOS Grenadiers then took over the lead but, on the final day, was overtaken by Brandon McNulty of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The American won the Wieliczka time trial and claimed the yellow jersey. His team – by far the best in the 2025 World Tour season – also topped the team classification.

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

For Rafał Majka, one of Poland’s greatest cyclists, this was the final Tour de Pologne of his career. Fans gave him the farewell he deserved – cheering him on along every kilometer of the route. “I want to end my career at the top, in good form. I want my legs to remember that I was at the front, that I had the power, and that I enjoyed it” he said before the start.

“I’m happy that once again thousands of fans came out to the roads this year. It was a true national celebration of cycling. Sport has the power to unite – there are no divisions or camps here. Everyone rejoiced together, cheering for Rafał Majka, Michał Kwiatkowski and all the riders” summed up General Director Czesław Lang.

In the Footsteps of Cycling Champions

A constellation of cycling stars lined up at the start of the 81st Tour de Pologne at Centennial Hall in Wrocław. For seven days in August, the colorful peloton traversed Polish roads, finishing in Karpacz, Duszniki-Zdrój, Prudnik, Katowice, Bukowina Tatrzańska, and Kraków.

The route traditionally showcased Poland's tourist attractions while passing through cycling-friendly areas. The race started in Wrocław, a city famous for its cycling traditions, where many future champions were trained at the Dolmel club. The fourth stage, ending in Prudnik, was dedicated to Stanisław Szozda, a remarkable Polish cyclist.

A History Written in Yellow Letters

Active Poles

Polish riders traditionally rode actively in the Tour de Pologne, mainly seeking their chances in breakaways. They fought bravely in intermediate sprints and mountain primes, resulting in wins in the classification for the LOTTO most active rider and the PZU best climber. The jerseys went to Polish champion Norbert Banaszek and Michał Paluta, who both fulfilled their cycling dreams.

Great Return

Jonas Vingegaard isn’t the only one who likes to return to the Tour de Pologne. Tim Wellens, who won the overall victory in 2016, also has very fond memories of the Polish race. This season, he didn’t repeat that success, but he did win the individual time trial that ended in Orlinek in Karpacz. "I have always enjoyed coming to the Tour de Pologne. The race is excellently organized, we’re welcomed everywhere with smiles and enthusiastic support. Even the weather this year is fantastic," commented the Belgian, recalling the rainy Tour de Pologne of 2016.

The sprinters also had their chances. Olav Kooij was the fastest twice — winning stages in previous editions of the Tour de Pologne and the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix — and Tim Merlier triumphed once, also achieving victories on Polish roads.

RACE OF THREE ANNIVERSARIES

The 80th edition of the Tour de Pologne began on July 29 in Poznań, and later the peloton rode through Leszno, Karpacz, Wałbrzych, Duszniki-Zdrój, Strzelin, Opole, Pszczyna, Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Zabrze and ended the race in Krakow on August 4, 2023.

The race was remarkable because of the triple anniversary. The riders set off on the route of the 80th edition, but also 95 after the very first race and 30 years after Czesław Lang became the organiser of the Tour de Pologne. The event was a unique exciting spectacle for fans of cycling.

“We prepared a complete route. By this I mean that it was selective and riders with different profiles could perform on it. The Tour de Pologne gives an opportunity for everyone to show off." said Czeslaw Lang. The Moscow Olympic vice-champion was right. And Polish fans kept their fingers crossed until the very end for Michal Kwiatkowski, who was fighting to win the general classification.

“I had two plans. One was to come here, the other was to start in San Sebastian and the world championships, but in the end I chose the Tour de Pologne. I'll try to win a stage or even aim for the general classification." said Slovenian Matej Mohorić, right before the start of the race. The Bahrain Victorious rider didn't throw his words to the wind and since he put on the yellow leader's jersey at the finish of the second stage, he didn't take it off again until the end. "Kwiato", however, gave a real show of fight and steadfastness, as he tried until the very last meters. In the end, it was enough for third place, with Portuguese Joao Almeida in second. The top three, after a week of racing, fitted in 17 seconds!

Rafal Majka also gave a great show! The UAE Team Emirates rider flashed at the finish line in Duszniki-Zdrój, where he finished first. “I wanted to win the stage. I succeeded and I am happy. I did it for the Polish fans, for my family, for my wife, for my children Oliwier and Maja. I have been away from home since May 12 and this victory was for them," he said and added: “ When you have a firecracker under your feet, you have to go!”

Other heroes were the winners of the other classifications. In the mountain classification, Markus Hoelgaard (Lidl-Trek) was the best, Patryk Stosz was the most active, Mohorić also won the sprinter classification, and UAE Team Emirates riders were the best as a team.

“Every year we try to create a race that will be remembered for years to come, and I think this edition was just that. The spectacle was taken care of by the riders, who know that our race is an open event, where you can't let up for a moment, because everything is decided by seconds. There is another distinguishing feature of the Tour de Pologne and another year has confirmed it. I'm thinking, of course, of the fans. About three million people along the route makes a person get energised. The fans were everywhere, and I know that it works on everyone's imagination." Czeslaw Lang said after the race.

A DECISIVE MOMENT IN THE MOUNTAIN INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL

The 79th edition of the Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour, took place between 30 July to 5 August 2022, mainly among beautiful landscapes of eastern and southern Poland. The peloton set off from Kielce and arrived in Krakow, passing through Lublin, Chelm, Zamosc, Kraśnik, Przemyśl, Lesko, Sanok, Łańcut, Rzeszów, Bukowina Tatrzańska and Valsir, Skawina. Demanding route was a possibility for riders to prove how well they were prepared. During the sixth stage, they rode an individual time trial. For the first time since 2005 the time trial returned to the mountain region. As it turned out later, almost 12-kilometre-long route from Nowy Targ, Gronków to RUSIŃSKI Ski-Station was a decisive stage for the victory in the whole race. Again the 2022 edition was a race full of cycling stars and big names including Mark Cavendish, Pascal Ackermann, Sam Bennett, Elia Viviani, Arnaud Demare and Richard Carapaz, who fought for stage wins and for general classification victory. There were 11 Poles in the 160 group of riders. The classification of the most active rider was won by Pole Patryk Stosz.

TRIUMPH OF THE OLYMPIC VICE-CHAMPION

The winner of the 79th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour was 24-year-old British Ethan Hayter, who combines road and track cycling with equal success. In 2021, he won Olympic silver-medal in the track madison competition. Hayter, in the colours of the Ineos Grenadiers group, rode in the 79th TdP alongside Richard Carapaz, the Tokyo Olympic champion in the road mass start race. It was not the Ecuadorian, however, but his younger and still lesser-known colleague who left Poland with the yellow winner jersey. It was certain that if Hayter remained at the top of the general classification until stage 6, his chances of a final triumph would increase significantly. After all, Hayter is a very successful 'time trialist', having been his country's champion in this speciality in 2021 and 2022. After five stages, the British was in seventh place, with a loss of 10 seconds to leader Sergio Higuita. He was third in the time trial, losing eight seconds to that stage's winner Dutch Thymen Arensman and leaving the other riders far behind. Before the final stage he was the leader, with an 11-second lead over Arensman. The final stage with the finish in Krakow changed nothing.

„RACE FOR PEACE”

- this was the slogan for the 79th edition of the Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour. It was an expression of support for the Ukrainian people. No wonder. Some of the towns along the route of the race were dozens of kilometres away from a country engulfed in war caused by Russia. There was one Ukrainian in the peloton. Mark Padun of the EF Education-EasyPoint group finished in 13th place.

"We have the greatest fans in the world. I met thousands of them on the route. At the starts, the bonuses, along the road and at the finish. And I know there were millions more in front of the TVs. This is the energy that gives you the strength and the will to keep going and to keep developing the race. Thank you all, you are wonderful and I am glad that we were able to experience this week together, crossing the beautiful corners of our country under the slogan of 'Race for Peace'. Sport provides opportunities to go to the world with a message of important values and issues. And it was very good that we were able to take advantage of it." - Czesław Lang

BACK TO NORMALITY AND THE EAST

After the exceptionally demanding task of organizing the 77th Tour de Pologne, since it played out during the corona virus pandemic, in 2021 we began to return to normalcy. Indeed there was more than one return. After many years of the most important Tour de Pologne events taking place mainly in the south of Poland, this time the race moved east. The peloton visited completely new cities: Lublin, Chełm, Zamość, Przemyśl and Sanok. Neither was there a typical mountain stage, although the route nevertheless turned out to be very demanding. The race started the day after the Tokyo Olympics ended. There was also no lack of stars on the route: Tim Wellens, Dylan Teuns, Michał Kwiatkowski, Diego Ulissi, Ilnur Zakarin, Fernando Gaviria and Matej Mohoric are just a few of the starting list’s big names, known to probably every cycling fan.

A 23-YEAR-OLD PORTUGUESE RIDER’S TRIUMPH

The 78th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour (August 9-15, 2021) could be said to belong to 23-year-old Joao Almeida. The Portuguese rider, wearing number 1, was awarded the leader's yellow jersey after winning the second stage in Przemyśl and never gave it up. He also won the fourth stage in Bukowina Tatrzańska, and on the sixth (penultimate) stage, i.e. the individual time trial in Katowice, he was second, ahead of all the most dangerous competitors. Almeida also triumphed in the points classification – as the best sprinter. The other classifications were won accordingly: the mountain classification by Łukasz Owsian from the Polish national team, the active classifications by the Dutchman Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert), and the team classification by the Belgian team Deceuninck-Quick Step. The Portuguese rider achieved his first three victories in the World Tour event in Poland (two stages won plus the general classification), but is already a very well-known cyclist. He was a revelation in the Giro d'Italia 2020 race, in which he rode 15 stages in the pink leader's jersey and finished just behind the podium.

The best of the Polish riders, Michał Kwiatkowski, took third place in the general classification. The winner of the 2018 Tour de Pologne had a burning ambition to take advantage of the form he was in for the Tokyo Olympics and repeat the success. His plans had been even more aspiring, but in the end the 2014 world champion was pleased with his performance. – I must admit I tried to win this race, but being on the podium is certainly a great satisfaction. I worked hard for it, my team too – he said in Krakow, at the finish line of the last stage.

FAREWELL TO TWO SPECIAL RIDERS

The 78th edition of our national tour saw two great cyclists bid farewell to their Polish fans. In 2021, Tomasz Marczyński and Michał Gołaś ended their careers. Marczyński is a former Polish champion and winner of two stages of the Spanish Vuelta. Gołaś, in 2011 the winner of the Tour de Pologne’s mountain classification, also won the gold medal of the Polish championship, and recently served as the team’s so-called road captain and was one of the best tacticians in the peloton. It was his experience and knowledge of the specifics of the race that enabled the young Paweł Siwakow to triumph in the 2019 Tour de Pologne.

Racing in times of a pandemic

The 77th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour was an exceptional race. It was originally scheduled to take place in July, but due to the corona virus pandemic, it was postponed until August and reduced to five stages. Thus, the Tour de Pologne opened the second half of the season and attracted the attention of many excellent riders. Those who came to Poland included among others world champion Mads Pedersen, the winner of the Giro d'Italia Richard Carapaz, the winner of Tour de France’s mountain classification Rafał Majka, and such other excellent contestants as Jakob Fuglsang, Pascal Ackermann, Simon Yates and Remco Evenepoel. The race started at the Śląsk Stadium in Chorzów, and the route led through the Śląsk and Małopolska provinces. In recognition of this year’s Tour de Pologne coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Saint John Paul II, the race included a visit to the Polish Pope’s hometown of Wadowice.

A victory for Fabio

The rivalry began with Fabio Jakobsen’s dramatic accident at the finish of the first stage. Jostled by Dylan Groenewegen, the cyclist collided with the barrier rails at great speed and suffered serious injuries. Fortunately, thanks to medical assistance, he won the most important fight of all and was able to return home. The next stages involved some fascinating competition and amazing victories for the favourites. Mads Pedersen finished first in Zabrze, Richard Carapaz came in first in Bielsko-Biała, and Remco Evenepoel in Bukowina Tatrzańska. His 50 kilometre charge and victory way ahead of anyone else, with Fabio Jakobsen’s entry number in his hands will be permanently inscribed in the history of cycling. The last stage in Krakow was won by another member of the Deceuninck Quick-Step Cycling team – Davide Ballerini, but it was Evenepoel who enjoyed the final victory.

Polish riders showed off their best in the race. Rafał Majka took fourth place in the CARREFOUR general classification, Patryk Stosz won the PZU Best Mountain climb classification, and Maciej Paterski was rated the Most Active LOTTO Competitor. Kamil Małecki also deserved recognition, impressing everyone by racing ahead at the royal stage in Bukowina Tatrzańska and taking a high sixth place in the general classification.

A cycling diamond

The winner of the 77th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour is considered by many to be the greatest talent in the cycling peloton in recent years. He himself dedicated his victory to Fabio Jakobsen. We experienced really difficult times after Fabio's accident. Those were long and sleepless nights. But that moment also showed what close friends we all are. Then came the good news that gave us encouragement and new strength. Before the fourth leg, I decided to take Fabio's entry number with me. When I was given it, I felt something unusual. And I felt I had to do my best regardless of the hardships the stage involved. I knew it was going to be very hard but then, he was suffering even more.

TOUR DE POLOGNE - THE RACE OF GENERATIONS

The 76th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour took place on August 3rd – 9th 2019. The race celebrated the Polish Olympic Committee’s centenary and was organised under the slogan "The Race of Generations". Tour de Pologne also joined in the celebrations marking the centenary of the Silesian Uprisings. Many star riders from around the world appeared at the start, including Rafał Majka, Pascal Ackermann, John Degenkolb, Mark Cavendish, Fernando Gaviria and Miguel Angel Lopez. The race was held in the south of Poland, with the route passing through the provinces of Śląsk and Małopolska. The race’s first section consisted of flat stages with finish lines in Krakow, Katowice and Zabrze. Final classifications were determined by the mountain stages in Kościelisko and the BUKOVINA Resort. Both Pascal Ackermann and Luka Mezgec won two stages each, while Pavel Sivakov of the Ineos Team was the race’s overall winner. The best Polish rider Rafał Majka came ninth.

BJORG LAMBRECHT

A tragic event occurred during the 76th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour. As a result of a fall during the third stage, Bjorg Lambrecht, a Belgian rider of the Lotto Soudal group, died. This tragedy shook the entire cycling world. Fate sometimes writes scenarios that we would like to avoid at all costs. Bjorg Lambrecht's death was a tremendous shock to us all. A talented rider and wonderful human being, on the very threshold of his adult life, has passed away. There are tragedies that simply cannot be understood – said Czesław Lang, the race’s General Director. In view of this tragedy, the fourth stage of the race was neutralised and held as a stage of mourning. The peloton rode from start to finish without any rivalry, a chance for everyone to celebrate the memory of Bjorg Lambrecht. The number 143, with which the Belgian rider competed, has been withdrawn from the Tour de Pologne as a sign of respect.

YOUNG TALENTS

For years Tour de Pologne has been called a race that creates stars. The Polish national race has opened the door to a great career for among others Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel. In 2019, the winner of the general classification was the Ineos Team’s Pavel Sivakov just turned 22, for whom this was the greatest success in his career so far. In turn, at the World Championships in Yorkshire, the gold medal in the race from a joint start was won by Mads Pedersen, who finished one of the Tour de Pologne stages with a place on the podium.

“This makes me very happy, the more so because this confirms that the Tour de Pologne is in the nature of a very open race, where no one is calculating and everyone aims to win. This is a form of competition that many of us like the most. Thanks to this, we can enjoy the rivalry of recognized stars with those who are just entering the big world of racing" – said Czesław Lang.

TOUR DE POLOGNE - THE INDEPENDENCE RACE

The 75th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour took place between August 4th and 10th of 2018. This race was a special event in that it occurred on the centenary of Poland regaining its independence, and the fact that the race itself celebrated its 90th anniversary and also the 25th time that its organizer was Czesław Lang. Starting in the event were such stars of the international peloton as Michał Kwiatkowski, Fabio Aru, Thibaut Pinot and Simon Yates. The starting point for the 75th Tour de Pologne race was the Main Square in Krakow. The first section of the race over flat terrain favoured the sprinters. After crossing the finishing line in Krakow, Katowice and Zabrze, the peloton entered an upland terrain, resulting in rapid changes in the general classification. The stages in Szczyrk, Bielsko-Biała and Bukowina Tatrzańska proved decisive for the final order in which they finished. Traditionally, the efforts of the best professional cyclists were watched by millions of fans, with those spectators stationed on the route creating a fantastic atmosphere for this great cycling event. To mark the centenary of Poland regaining its independence, a mobile Tour de Pologne museum appeared at the finishing line of the various stages, an attraction that proved enormously popular.

A POLISH RACE AND A POLISH VICTORY

The hero of the race’s first section was Pascal Ackermann. The German sprinter of the Bora-Hansgrohe group achieved brilliant finishes in Krakow and Katowice and won the yellow shirt of leader. At the third stage in Zabrze, he was relieved of this trophy by another great sprinter – Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui from the Quick-Step Floors group. However, when the race entered the uplands, it was Michał Kwiatkowski, the favourite of Polish fans, who took matters into his own hands. This cyclist of the Sky group achieved a spectacular finish in Szczyrk, where he fought off the previous winner of the Tour de Pologne Dylan Teuns and took the lead. A day later, the Pole was also the fastest in Bielsko-Biała, where again he was up against Teuns. The advance he achieved made it possible for him to control the course of the race on the royal rounds around Bukowina Tatrzańska. In both stages he was in the lead group and was able to enjoy a final victory at the finishing line. Kwiatkowski became the second Polish winner of the Tour de Pologne after Rafał Majka since the race has belonged to the elite UCI World Tour series.

MICHAŁ KWIATKOWSKI

"It's a fantastic feeling to win in Poland, especially since it has been my dream for so long. I have been waiting for this win since 2012, when I took second place in the race. This time, I was not sure of my form due to the very tough Tour de France that had had its effect on my legs. The race was difficult from the very beginning, but especially from the stage in Szczyrk. Starting in this race were a lot of great cyclists who were aiming for the general classification, so from that moment on, I had to actively fight to hold on to the yellow shirt."

"The support from fans at every kilometre of the route was extraordinary. Having them at my side, shouting my name, was very motivating. And I’d like to thank them for that. Thanks are also due to my team-mates, especially Michał Gołas and Łukasz Wiśniowski, who have been with me for years and played an important role in this victory. I would also like to express my appreciation for the whole team, for their great work during this race."

EXHILARATING ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE

Between 29 July and 4 August 2017, cyclists competed in the 74th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour. The 1122 kilometres of the race were split between seven stages.
This was one of the most interesting and thrilling races in the history of our national Tour. Rafał Majka, Peter Sagan, Vincenzo Nibali – were just some of the great stars on the starting list. Beautiful Polish cities along the route. And excitement right until the end, as the race was decided literally just before the finish line. The route took cyclists across southern Poland, however this time it was set somewhat differently.
Kraków, the city which was home to the end of the race in recent years, was chosen as the starting point, and the finish line of the last stage was in Bukowina Tatrzańska. Sprinters, climbers and all-rounders had plenty to get their teeth stuck into along the way. We witnessed high drama, tears of joy, hundreds of thousands of spectators along the route of every stage and millions following the progress on television. And the 75th, jubilee Tour de Pologne, the 25th under the watchful eye of Czesław Lang is coming next year. The bar has been set really high, but we will undoubtedly scale it in pristine style with our reliable partners.

EXHILARATING ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE

In the opinion of numerous experts, Dylan Teuns, winner of the 74th Tour de Pologne is yet another cyclist whose career will take off and, in a few years, people will remember that it all began here. That's what it was like for Alberto Contador and Peter Sagan. The 25 year old Belgian was first across the stage three (Jaworzno - Szczyrk) finish line, where he successfully battled against great world class peleton stars (Sagan and Rafał Majka) right up to the finish line. And that says a lot about his abilities. He stuck close to his most dangerous rivals throughout the next stages, and when the Slovakian champion, and overall leader hit his brick wall during stage six, all Dylan had to do was not to squander his 6 second lead over the Pole. He managed. Majka crossed the finish line in third place with a 4 second bonus. However, that wasn't enough, as Teuns was right behind him and won the general classification with a 2 second lead.

DYLAN TEUNS

I won a stage and the general classification for the first time in a World Tour race. For me, it was a wonderful competition. The fact that I took the yellow jersey from Tim Wellens makes it even better. It is just amazing that I won the Tour de Pologne a year after my very good friend did.

CZESŁAW LANG

This race will be one for the history books. The golden era of Polish cycling has returned. I am convinced that at the finish line in Bukowina Tatrzańska we celebrated a racer who will shortly join the ranks of the world's best.
And that reinforces the tradition of Tour de Pologne as the place where cycling stars are born.

TOUR DE POLOGNE’S NEW HISTORY

The Battle of Warsaw from 1920 and the famous "Miracle on the Vistula" are the events that commemorated the 73rd Tour de Pologne. It was also a tribute to cyclists of the Warsaw Cyclical Society who defended their homeland in their own way - as cyclists of couriers carrying orders.

The race started from Radzymin on the 12th of July 2016 under the slogan "The path of history". In seven days the riders have covered 1190 kilometers. On July 18th, crowds of cycling fans watched the finale on the Krakow Main Market Square. As soon as the winners received congratulations for the Tour, the ladies started their race. This is how a new chapter in the history of the Tour de Pologne has opened.

TIM WELLENS

The winner takes it all. This is the best summary of the 73rd Tour de Pologne, which was won by Tim Wellens from team Lotto Soudal. His prize was not only a yellow jersey, but also awards for the best mountain and most active rider.

The Belgian won only one stage, but a very demanding one - from Wieliczka to Zakopane. The cancellation of the the penultimate stage in Bukowina Tatrzanska (due to bad weather) made the victory in the race easier for him. "A victory in the World Tour in such a great race with a very good organization - I'm happy. We were not lucky with the weather, so we could not race in such conditions, it made the decision to cancel the stage right. This was my first Tour de Pologne. Everyone said it was a very good race, with an interesting route. I can confirm it" said Wellens at the finish in Cracow.

With excellent mountain riding skills and a decent finale in the individual time trial, the Belgian rider has beaten Italians Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo) and Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale) by more than 4 minutes. The best of Poles - Pawel Ciesik (Verva Action) was 19th.

TOUR DE POLOGNE WOMEN

Jolanda Neff also took great memories from Poland. The Swiss was unrivaled on two of the first three stages in the Tour de Pologne Women's history. Only during the ITT she had to recognize the superiority of the Brazilian Flavia Oliveira. Her finish in Bukowina Tatrzańska was the final touch.

"I wanted to control the course of the race. After the first lap I had some losses to the runaway Rjabchenko, but I managed to do it. On the second lap I could go my own way. I am extremely happy with the victory and how I presented myself here. And I have never won a car before!" said the 23-year-old European Champion of the 2015 Olympics in Baku, who after the race signed a contact with the Polish Kross Racing Team. The Polish rider also did a great job - Paulina Brzeźna-Benkowska ended up right next to the podium.

LINKING CAPITALS

The 72nd Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour was held on 2-8 August 2015. The race’s motto was "Linking capitals". The 1,076 kilometre long route led from Warsaw to Kraków. The race started on the grassy area around the National Stadium in Warsaw, and ended on the Main Market Square in Kraków. This not only linked the two capitals – the present-day and historical - but also two symbolic places, combining our country’s great tradition with the modern-day achievements of contemporary Poland. Thus the race evoked the history of the Tour de Pologne that before World War II had become one of the most important sporting events in Poland, with Warsaw and Kraków being essential points on the route. Today on the other hand, it is a top cycling event, being one of the most important races of the prestigious UCI World Tour.

Ion Izagirre

Winner of the 72nd Tour de Pologne was Ion Izagirre from Movistar. Even before the start, this Spaniard was considered one of the favourites. Izagirre is well acquainted with the Tour de Pologne, and in the last two races won places on the podium, twice coming in second.

This time he was first, though he failed to win any of the stages. His overall form enabled him to achieve this success, though the differences between the leaders were minimal. Coming in second was the Belgian Bart de Clercq, who lost to the winner by just two seconds. At the finish line in Kraków Izagirre said: "I am very pleased to win the race, it gives me enormous satisfaction. The hardest were the stages in the mountains – in Zakopane and Bukowina. Probably harder than last year, and certainly the weather contributed to this. This is a World Tour race, with the best teams in the world competing. The organization is excellent and the Polish fans are just fantastic".

BIAŁOBŁOCKI FOR DESSERT

Polish riders managed very well in the race, but this time failed to repeat Rafał Majka’s feat of winning the 2014 event. Maciej Paterski enjoyed a victory in the Best Climber classification, while the Most Active Rider of the race was Kamil Gradek. The most "Polish" stage was the fourth, from Jaworzno to Nowy Sącz. This was won by Maciej Bodnar, and the leader, unfortunately only for one day, was Kamil Zieliński. Meanwhile a real sensation was Marcin Białobłocki, who won the final stage – the individual time trial in Kraków. At the finish of the stage, he had this to say: "It was very hard, which wasn’t helped by the temperature. I enjoyed the fast route, but really I was literally melting during the race. I prepared for the Tour de Pologne with some backbreaking workouts. I rode several races really hard, regardless of the results. My coach gave me such a hard time that I simply hated his guts. I told him that if this doesn’t bring about success, it would be the end of our relationship. But the hard work paid off".

THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF FREE ELECTIONS IN POLAND

The 71st Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour was held on 3-9 August 2014. This special edition of the event took place on the 25th anniversary of the famous June 4th elections, which were a turning point in the history of Poland and Europe. The race symbolically joined in celebrating a quarter of a century of Poland’s freedom. The riders took off from Gate No. 2 of the Gdańsk Shipyard, and the honorary patron of the start was the founder of Solidarity and former president Lech Wałęsa. During the race’s opening ceremony, he recalled those historic achievements: "It was a great victory, which needs to be remembered. To combine sport with a message and respect for the past is a beautiful thing. We participated in a work that changed Poland, Europe and the world. Thanks to people like Czesław Lang, the world remembers that great Polish success". The race’s route led from the Baltic Coast to the Tatra Mountains, and the riders visited among other places Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Warsaw, Kielce, Rzeszów, Katowice, Bukowina Tatrzańska, Zakopane and Kraków.

THE AMAZING MAJKA

The race’s sprinters shone during the early, flat stages: Yauheni Hutarovich won in Bydgoszcz, Theo Bos in Rzeszów, and Jonas van Genechten won in Katowice, crossing the finishing line at the Spodek Arena at a speed of about 80 km/h. The stage in Warsaw ended with a surprise, when it was won by breakaway Petr Vakoc following a single-handed escape. But the hero of the Tour de Pologne’s mountain section was Rafał Majka. First, he won a difficult stage with its finish line in Strbske Pleso, and a day later he left his rivals behind on the royal lap around Bukowina. Following a fantastic attack on the final climb, he overtook two Spaniards, Beñat Intxausti and Ion Izagirre and won the leader’s yellow jersey. Before the decisive time trial in Kraków, the Polish contestant had an 18 second advantage. He rode very well, kept eight seconds of that advantage and won the Tour de Pologne, as well being the first Pole to win a World Tour race.

Rafał Majka

It was the hardest day of the race. I gave it my all and now can barely stand. But I love this kind of weather, it can be as hot as 50 degrees, and I still like racing in the heat. I believed I had a good chance and the day before, I was able to make up quite a few seconds, and now have accomplished something great. It's a beautiful thing, not only for me but for the whole Tinkoff-Saxo team, who were all sensational. Thanks to everyone who did everything so that I could focus only on riding. I didn’t even have to carry my own suitcase.

Czesław Lang

As the organizer, I always dreamed of the Tour de Pologne being in the cycling champions league. Eventually that happened, but we still had no Polish contestants winning. What Rafał Majka has accomplished is something special. In grand style he won two stages and brought home the yellow jersey. Everyone had been waiting for contestants like Rafał, Michał Kwiatkowski and Maciek Paterski.

FROM ITALIAN TO POLISH SOIL

"From Italian to Polish soil" (from the Polish National Anthem) along the routes of Pope John Paul II – was the motto of this Jubilee, 70th Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour. For the first time in history, our national race began abroad. Two mountain stages took place in the Dolomites in the Trentino region, which for years has been closely associated with the Tour de Pologne. The best riders in the world had the opportunity to compete in beautiful scenery and fight it out on the cult mountain passes, with Passo Pordoi the most important. Everything started with a beautiful opening ceremony for the race in Rovereto, from where the riders started off for Madonna di Campiglio. The fastest there was Diego Ulissi, and third place went to Rafał Majka. I was hoping for more. I tried to attack, but for me it was too flat. I aim to win the second stage and get to wear that yellow jersey - said the Polish rider at the finish. Although he didn’t win at Passo Pordoi (he was fifth, while Christophe Riblon won), he still won the jersey and rode into Poland as the leader of the race.

The Polish section of Tour de Pologne started with a flat stage from Kraków to Rzeszów, where the world champion in 2010, Thor Hushovd triumphed. The hero of the stage that finished in Katowice was Taylor Phinney, who some four kilometres before the finish line, broke away from the peloton and rode alone to the finish.

On the last lap I thought: Maybe this is a good time to attack? I tried it, counting on the fact that someone would join me. But when I found myself alone, I said: OK, I’ll treat this like a time trial, in which I am after all, pretty good. And thus I managed to win - explained Phinney. A day later, the Tour entered the mountains and in Zakopane, Hushovd won again. In the general classification, Rafał Majka lost the lead to Ion Izagirre, but the difference between the riders was only 4 seconds.

On the royal stage in Bukowina, the Polish contestant tried to recover the yellow jersey, but several kilometres before the finish he had a fall and reached the finishing line in fifth place. The winner was Darwin Atapuma, and Riblon became the new leader of the race. In the classification, Majka was then 20 seconds behind the Frenchman. So everything now depended on the time trial with its finish in Kraków. Unrivalled was Bradley Wiggins. This Tour de France winner and Olympic champion got the better of another star of the international peloton, Fabian Cancellara. I trained very hard over the past few weeks, I prepared especially for this event, and so I'm not surprised by the outcome. From the beginning, I counted on a victory - said Wiggins. The overall winner of the race was the Dutchman Pieter Weening, and the best of the Polish contestants - Majka - was fourth. I tried to ride as best I could, but it was not enough to win. I’m disappointed, because I very much wanted to triumph. But this also gives me the motivation to start next year and win - said Majka prophetically.