Tour de Pologne stage winners are victorious at the Giro d’Italia

Riders who have previously claimed stage victories at the Tour de Pologne are off to a successful start at this year’s Giro d’Italia. In the first part of the Italian Grand Tour, Mads Pedersen has already taken three stage wins and is the clear leader in the points classification. On Wednesday, Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz added another victory to the tally.

The first Grand Tour of the cycling season is traditionally the Giro d’Italia. This year’s edition, however, began in unusual fashion, as the riders started their campaign in Albania. From the opening stages, Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek showed both speed and endurance.

The Dane became the first overall leader of the race. Though he lost the pink jersey on day two, he reclaimed it the very next day with another stage win. Once the race hit Italian roads, he added a third victory, cementing his lead in the points classification. It’s worth noting that Pedersen also tasted success during the 77th Tour de Pologne in 2020, where he earned his first win in the rainbow jersey of world champion with a long sprint to the line in Zabrze.

Another rider who has won at both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de Pologne is Richard Carapaz. The decorated Ecuadorian – an Olympic champion and former overall winner of the Giro – launched a classic solo attack a few kilometers from the finish and held off the chasers. His win at the Tour de Pologne came under slightly different circumstances, but with similar determination.

Back then, he was the fastest in a grueling uphill finish in Bielsko-Biała, where he beat riders such as Diego Ulissi. The experienced Italian – now riding for XDS Astana Team – has left his mark on both the Tour de Pologne and the Giro d’Italia.

Last year, Ulissi rode consistently across all seven stages of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix to finish second overall and win the points classification. It’s also worth remembering that he once stood atop the podium in Poland — in 2013, he won the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne, finishing in Madonna di Campiglio.

He’s still waiting for a win in this year’s Giro d’Italia, but he has already achieved a long-held dream. At 35 years old, with eight stage wins in the Giro to his name, he wore the coveted pink jersey for the first time. Though he only kept it for one stage, Ulissi admitted it was a huge honor for him.

The excitement of the Giro d’Italia will continue for another week and a half. Coming up on the WorldTour calendar are the Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de Suisse, Copenhagen Sprint, Tour de France, Donostia San Sebastián, and the 82nd edition of the Tour de Pologne, which will take place from August 4–10. The Polish race once again promises to be an unforgettable spectacle, filled with high-stakes action and a battle for every second. Fans will be able to follow the race via live broadcasts on Telewizja Polska, Eurosport, and the streaming platform MAX. Thanks to this, the coverage will reach cycling fans in Poland and viewers in 65 countries worldwide. This is an event you don’t want to miss!