BESIDES THE PROFESSIONALS, CHILDREN & CYCLING TOURISTS ARE AT THE HEART OF THE TOUR DE POLOGNE
Lots of news, from “Kinder+Sport – Joy of Moving” and “Tauron – Tour de Pologne Amatorow”.
Following tradition, this year will once again feature top level correlated events that will enrich the Tour de Pologne – UCI World Tour from August 4 to 10.
We’re talking about two initiatives, one especially for kids and another for cycling tourists. By now these two events have become symbols of the Tour de Pologne, being held in conjunction with the pro race and centred on the bicycle as a common denominator.
The edition marking 90 years of the Tour de Pologne will take place amidst a year of celebrations honouring the centennial of Polish Independence (1918-2018), so these two events will be even more significant.
The biggest news comes from the kids’ event. Starting this year the initiative will take the name Kinder+Sport Mini Tour de Pologne. Before the arrival of the pro race, on every day of the tour except for the last two stages, the schedule will feature a non-competitive ride open to children between the ages of 7 and 12.
Besides this there will also be a competitive event for young riders as well. It’s the Kinder+Sport Mini Tour de Pologne CUP, a race for kids from club teams (11-14 years old). Points will be assigned every day from August 4 to 8, and at the end of the 5 tests the top 3 classified riders (boys/girls/teams) will be rewarded along with the pros and invited to participate in the awards ceremony on the final podium of the Tour de Pologne in Bukovina Tatrzanska.
The Kinder+Sport – Joy of Moving project is an initiative that touches more than 4.5 million kids all over the world. The aim is to get children interested in sports and promote healthy lifestyles. The program is already active in 28 countries, with 4 Olympic committees and 126 federations participating. In the various countries, different sports are on the program. In Poland, Kinder+Sport already offers sports like volleyball, tennis, swimming and sailing; and now with the Tour de Pologne there is also cycling. The project is also supported by the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
“The Tour de Pologne is proud to be a part of the Kinder+Sport – Joy of Moving project. Sports are synonymous with education, play, hope, and health, and should be an important part of the lives of children, who are our future. The event for kids that accompanies the pro race is a tradition which means a lot to us, and we are happy to see that every year more and more children are participating. This success is the result of more than ten years of beneficial cooperation between the Ferrero brand and the Tour de Pologne. Furthermore, I am also always very happy to remember that this is where our own Michal Kwiatkowski got his career start, and many other young Polish talents have gone on from here to become professional riders. However, the goal of the project isn’t necessarily to become champions; what counts at that age is to have fun and spend time together practicing sports,” says Czeslaw Lang, General Director for the Tour de Pologne.
There is also plenty of anticipation for the race open to amateurs and cycling tourists, which this year will take the name Tauron – Tour de Pologne Amatorow , Tauron is another committed, historical partner of the Polish stage race and is already a title sponsor of the magenta jersey, which identifies the leader of the mountain primes within the pack.
The race will take enthusiasts on a ride along part of the same route covered by the pros during the last spectacular stage that sets off from the Bukovina Resort on Friday, August 10. In 2017, 2500 cyclists took part in this granfondo event. Czeslaw Lang himself will also be on the front line of the starting grid, along with other notable champions who are all friends of his.
“The event at the Bukovina Resort has become a tradition. Year after year the race sees more and more fans lining up for the start. This is an important indication of a growing passion for two wheels in Poland, at all levels and for all ages. And even though this event is also based on a spirit of competition, the idea is to ride for fun and get caught up in the atmosphere of the Tour de Pologne. The race lets fans get a taste of the excitement and unique challenges offered by the spectacular stage in Bukowina Tatrzanska, where riders will engage in a fierce battle to take home the final yellow jersey,” explains Czeslaw Lang.