Tour de Pologne – Poland’s Cycling Showcase

Some events transcend the boundaries of sport. Tour de Pologne is one of them – it’s more than just a cycling race. It’s almost 100 years of history, emotions brought by the greatest champions, millions of fans along the route and a unique opportunity to promote our country around the world. “Let’s be proud that we have such a race, let’s enjoy it, let’s appreciate it” says Czesław Lang, General Director of the Tour de Pologne.

Just as May for Italians and July for French, August has for years been a special month for Polish cycling fans. It is then that the colorful caravan of the Tour de Pologne rolls across Polish roads, joined by the best cycling teams in the world.
Tour de Pologne is a unique event – it’s the only recurring sporting event in Poland that has survived the most challenging periods of our history and is still held today, at the highest level.

In 2005, Tour de Pologne was promoted to the UCI ProTour series, and after a reorganization of the Union Cycliste International calendar, it became part of the UCI World Tour. Along with the three-week Grand Tours, the Tour de Pologne is one of only 12 European stage races in this prestigious group – and importantly, the only one held east of the former “Iron Curtain.”

“Tour de Pologne is the oldest Polish event that survived World War II, communism, political transitions, and we are still here today. For 31 years I have been organizing the Tour de Pologne in its new format, and as a Pole, I am proud that we have our national race among the 12 most important stage races in Europe, alongside the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia” emphasizes Czesław Lang, the race’s General Director.

A Race of Great Champions and Rising Stars

The prestige of the race demands it – every year, the world’s best cycling teams and top riders come to Poland to compete for the yellow jersey of general classification ORLEN. In the past several years, Tour de Pologne winners have included Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, world champions Peter Sagan, Alessandro Ballan, and Michał Kwiatkowski, as well as Rafał Majka, an Olympic bronze medalist and two-time winner of the Tour de France KOM classification.

The race is known for its open character, fight for every second, and excitement right to the finish line. In Poland, champions clash with emerging talents – Tour de Pologne witnessed the first World Tour victories of riders like Alberto Contador, Marcel Kittel, Mads Pedersen, Olav Kooij, and Thibau Nys. It was also the place where top stars like Peter Sagan and Remco Evenepoel scored their first overall wins at this level.

“This is our pride. When I was a cyclist, I dreamed of winning a world championship medal or an Olympic medal. As an organizer, I dreamed of having an event where champions like Sagan and Vingegaard would come to race” says Czesław Lang.

“They come here with the clear goal to race – Vingegaard showed that perfectly. We must not think that something Polish is somehow lesser. Sure, our race is shorter and we don’t have such big mountains, but it’s an open race. It’s not only won by pure climbers, but by riders with the heart to fight. We discover talents here,” he adds.

Millions of Fans Along the Route and Watching on TV

Beyond delivering top-level sports excitement, Tour de Pologne serves another role. No sport promotes regions quite like cycling. Every year, the race covers over 1,000 kilometers, showcasing the beauty of Poland – its charming historic towns and breathtaking landscapes.

The long TV broadcasts are a visual feast not only for cycling fans but also for travel lovers. The race allows viewers to discover new places, hidden gems that Poland has in abundance.

Starting this year, Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour will again be shown on Eurosport and the MAX streaming platform, reaching viewers in 65 countries. The broadcast signal will once again be produced by Polish Television (TVP), which will also provide national coverage of the 82nd edition of our national tour.
There will be plenty of ways to follow the race – but the best one remains cheering for the cyclists directly on the route!

“We organize this race for the fans, and it’s heartwarming that nearly 3.5 million people watch across the 7 stages. It’s a great sporting and national celebration, and we should be proud of it – especially because the World Tour license is no small feat. Every year we must meet strict criteria and standards. For example, in evaluations by the UCI and a special commission, Tour de Pologne scores 99.7 out of 100 points – often receiving higher organizational marks than even the Grand Tours,” says Czesław Lang.

“Tour de Pologne is of course full of sporting emotions, but through the 4-5 hour broadcasts, we also showcase the beauty of Poland. In today’s world, that’s very important – we discover the charm of regions like Roztocze, Podkarpacie, and now Lower Silesia. This is the power of cycling – it goes directly to the people, offering a great spectacle while promoting the country. Especially now, with the broadcasts returning to Eurosport, reaching 65 countries with top-quality coverage,” adds the Tour de Pologne General Director.

As a race belonging to the elite UCI World Tour group, Tour de Pologne is one of the most important Polish sporting events. It’s our national treasure, which has built its reputation over decades, and today shows that we are capable of organizing world-class events. It’s our showcase, recognized and respected across the cycling world. “Let’s be proud that we have such a race, let’s enjoy it, let’s appreciate it,” concludes Czesław Lang.