It’s time to race! – Stage 1 preview of the 82nd Tour de Pologne

The day that Polish cycling fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. The 82nd edition of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour kicks off today under the iconic Centennial Hall in Wrocław. Stage 1 is a flat route finishing in Legnica – perfectly suited for sprinters. Who will claim the stage win and become the first leader of the ORLEN General Classification?

The colorful UCI WorldTour peloton returns once again to Polish roads. The opening stage of the 82nd Tour de Pologne is a classic sprinters’ stage, set across the flat terrain of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Riders will set off just before noon from the Centennial Hall in Wrocław, where Sunday’s official team presentation took place. Last year’s edition of the Tour de Pologne also began from the same location.

From there, the peloton will head toward Legnica, contesting three LOTTO Sprint Primes in Kąty Wrocławskie, Środa Śląska and Polkowice, as well as the first PZU Mountain Prime in Prochowice. These points will determine the initial leaders of the LOTTO Most Active Rider and PZU Best Climber classifications.

But the most prestigious prize is the yellow jersey of the ORLEN General Classification leader – which will be awarded at the finish in Legnica to the winner of the stage. Cycling is an unpredictable sport, but the flat profile of stage 1 clearly favors the sprinters, and there’s no shortage of them on the start line of the 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour!

The top favorite for the win is Olav Kooij of Team Visma | Lease a Bike – a four-time stage winner at the Tour de Pologne and one of the world’s best sprinters. But other fast men will also have their own plans for the finale, including Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Elia Viviani (Lotto), and Fernando Gaviria (Movistar Team) – all riders with multiple Grand Tour stage wins under their belts.

Polish fans will be especially cheering for Stanisław Aniołkowski of Cofidis. The former national road champion is determined to fight for victory. – I’ve never won a WorldTour race – I’d love for that to happen here. I’ve got full support from my team, I’m the only sprinter in the lineup and I want to take advantage of that – Aniołkowski said during the team presentation in Wrocław.

Young riders will also be looking for a win, including Casper van Uden (Team Picnic PostNL), who claimed a stage victory at this year’s Giro d’Italia, and the phenomenal talent Paul Magnier (T-Rex Quick-Step).

– This year, we’ve prepared a very demanding edition of the Tour de Pologne, but sprinters will also have opportunities to shine. On the first day, we start in Wrocław and ride to Legnica. I expect a hard-fought bunch sprint, as there are plenty of contenders for the win – said Czesław Lang, General Director of the 82nd Tour de Pologne.

The neutral start of Stage 1 of the 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour is scheduled for 11:35, with the finish expected around 16:30. The stage will be broadcast on TVP, Eurosport and streaming platform HBO Max, reaching fans in 65 countries.