What is it like to work as a photographer at the TdP? Szymon Gruchalski about his job

Most fans think that a photographer at a cycling race simply takes pictures. Meanwhile – as emphasized by Szymon Gruchalski, the official photographer of the Tour de Pologne – the reality looks completely different. Are you curious what a photographer’s work at a cycling race really looks like? Enjoy the read!

“I think this job looks a bit different than most people imagine. Most people believe a photographer just takes photos – which is true – but 80, if not 90 percent of my energy goes into everything else surrounding those photos,” says Szymon.

Behind every single shot there is planning, analysis, and logistics. Each stage begins long before the peloton appears on the horizon. “Preparation starts even before the stage – checking the route, where you can possibly overtake the peloton using side roads or shortcuts, where you can’t, and where you can cross the road normally. To take a good photo, sometimes you have to stop and wait for the group, take a side shot, and then overtake them again. All of this happens beforehand.”

During the race there is no room for chance. The photographer works at the very heart of the action – on a motorcycle, right next to the riders. “During the stage you have to be extremely careful because we are constantly moving close to the cyclists at high speed, alongside other vehicles, with marshals who help control the race traffic. They usually prohibit dangerous actions, and dangerous places include cities, descents, corners, and roundabouts. The riders’ safety is the priority, so we must adapt to that, which leaves us with very little space for photographing.”

Choosing a place for a photo is not a matter of chance or aesthetics, but of predicting what is about to happen. “It’s not like we take photos where we personally like most – you have to anticipate, think ahead, and sense how everything will unfold.”

Modern cycling is also a technological race. A photo must not only be good, but above all fast. Away from the fans’ eyes, another competition is taking place – between photo agencies. “Today nobody is interested in a photo seen an hour after the situation happened, so everything must be sent immediately. I always have a router in my pocket, and material is sent directly from two cameras while riding the motorcycle. All information – intermediate sprints, bonuses, breakaway of the day, finish line – everything must be transmitted instantly. Nowadays time is the priority. The exact time from when a photo is taken to when it reaches the server is measured. Agencies compete to shorten that time because newspapers or websites will use the image that appears first. That’s how an agency earns money. It’s a second race that nobody sees – between us, photographers.”

A photographer must also be ready for unpredictable situations – both those happening among the riders and, for example, the weather. Rain can be just as merciless to motorcycle photographers as it is to cyclists. “Crashes happen unexpectedly, but you can predict where they are likely to occur, and sometimes we deliberately ride behind the peloton. We wait because a crash is also news, especially if a leader or favorite is involved. We stop, take photos, but we don’t exploit the rider – we move on. We also have to anticipate the weather, checking whether there is still snow on a mountain stage in the Alps or if it will simply rain. We always carry rain gear on the motorcycle. Over the years I tried various Gore-Tex and membrane solutions, but the best thing is a five-euro poncho from Decathlon – it lets nothing through and has saved my life many times. Waterproof boots – and that’s it.”

In summary, the work of a sports photographer at the Tour de Pologne is not only about the ability to capture the perfect shot, but above all about responsibility, reflexes, planning, and resilience in harsh conditions. It is a profession where seconds matter, where anticipating events and the ability to act under pressure – often in changing weather – are essential. At the same time, it offers a unique opportunity to follow the race from the “front row,” right next to the riders. As Szymon Gruchalski’s experience shows, behind every photo fans see in the media there is invisible work, dedication, and a second parallel race – one where the finish line is the moment the photograph gets published.