Another Test for the Climbers – Stage 3 Preview of the 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour

Yesterday’s unexpected outcome on the Orlinek climb in Karpacz has raised the excitement ahead of Stage 3 of the 82nd Tour de Pologne. Today, the riders will face a stage starting and finishing in Wałbrzych, where they’ll tackle three climbing-heavy laps!

The Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour peloton has settled into Lower Silesia for the first three stages. After finishes in Legnica and Karpacz, it’s now time for a mountainous stage starting and ending in Wałbrzych. The riders will face nearly 160 kilometers and a total of 3,500 meters of elevation gain – a real treat for specialists in difficult, hilly terrain!

One of the toughest stages of this year’s race begins and ends at the revitalized Stara Kopalnia (Old Mine). After the start, riders will head straight for demanding climbs, including two marked as 2nd category PZU Mountain Primes – Walimska Pass and Niedźwiedzica Pass – each to be climbed three times. The last categorized ascent is just 13 km from the finish line. On the second lap, the peloton will also contest a DPD Special Prime in Jedlina-Zdrój and a LOTTO Sprint Prime  in Walim. And that’s not all! On the final lap, riders will extend the route with an additional climb to Rzeczka, a PZU 1st category Mountain Prime with gradients up to 14%! Other climbs are also challenging, making this stage perfect for strong climbers.

Yesterday’s stage to Karpacz brought major reshuffling in the ORLEN General Classification, including a change of leader. Frenchman Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), a former national champion, now wears the leader’s jersey, narrowly ahead of Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) and Victor Langelotti (INEOS Grenadiers). Still in contention are riders like Jan Christen and Rafał Majka of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, both eager to drop less terrain-savvy competitors. Watch out also for Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).

Many riders were left disappointed after yesterday’s stage and will be especially motivated today! Expect fierce competition – and as an extra incentive, a whopping 40 points are up for grabs in the PZU Best Climber classification, currently led by Tomasz Budziński of the Polish National Team. We’re in for a thrilling battle!

“Today we have one of the toughest stages of the 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour. It’s our final day in Lower Silesia, and we’ll end our stay in this beautiful region with a bang. Three scenic laps and seven mountain primes! Some riders will be looking to redeem themselves after yesterday, so I expect great action. I also hope for another strong performance from the Polish riders, who were very active yesterday” said Czesław Lang, General Director of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour.

Racing begins at 12:15 PM, with the finish expected around 4:25 PM. The 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour is broadcast on TVP, Eurosport, and HBO Max.