„Our riders deserve attention also from the Polish cyclingcommunity, and I think that not only is it worthwhile, but it’salso important to organize races for women. They put just as much effort into training as men and are just as professional,”says Małgorzata Jasińska, the coach of the Polish women’snational team, before the Tour de Pologne Women. The second edition of the prestigious race for female riders willtake place from June 28-30 on the roads of the lubelskie voivodeship.
Only 7 days are left until the start of the second edition of the Tour de Pologne Women, which after eight years has beenrevived by Czesław Lang and the Lang Team. At the start of the three-stage fight in Lublin, many teams will line up, including foreign ones, Polish clubs MAT ATOM Developer Wrocław and TKK Pacific Nestle Fitness, as well as the national team. Its coach is Małgorzata Jasińska, a former titledPolish rider, who has among her achievements 5 gold medalsin the Polish road cycling elite championships.
„As a rider, I had the opportunity to participate in the Eko Tour Around Poland, but I couldn’t take part in the Tour de Pologne for women organized a few years ago. I’ll be honest, I received this news very positively because I think that women’scycling in Poland is flourishing, we have many riders in the world top, and it’s important to have a UCI Polish race in the calendar. It’s a great prestige, and I believe that Western teams coming here will be able to see how we have progressedas a cycling country,” explained Małgorzata Jasińska, whohas raced for many years in foreign teams on the World Tour level.
This year, Małgorzata Jasińska will ride the Tour de PologneWomen, but in a technical car as a coach. Just over a weekbefore the start of the race, she selected 6 riders who willrepresent the white and red Polish colors. „My goal was primarily to focus on youth because I believe that U23 ridersshould race as much as possible. We have the opportunity thatMAT ATOM Developer Wrocław and Nestle Pacific Toruń willtake part in the Tour de Pologne Women, so I couldn’t selectriders from these teams because those are the rules,” said the coach of the Polish national team. „Part of the squad is youth- I can mention the names Anna Długaś, Julia Wudniak, and Agata Kowalska here. The other part is older elite riders, and I hope that the younger girls will benefit from their experience- they will be Kaja Rysz, Aurela Nerlo, and Karolina Perekitko,” she added.
Route suitable for everyone
The riders will compete on the picturesque roads of the lubelskie voivodeship. Everything will start in its capital, Lublin, where the cyclists face a 4.5-kilometer time trial. Then, a hilly stage from Krasnystaw to Kraśnik, powiat kraśnicki is planned, and everything will conclude with anexciting segment from the Arche Nałęczów Hotel to Kazimierz Dolny.
„I am very happy that the Tour de Pologne Women isreturning after eight years and in a truly exceptional form. In the Lublin region, we will play out three beautiful stages. On Friday, we will start with an individual time trial over a shortdistance, which will also serve as the presentation of the riders. In the second stage, we will start from Krasnystaw, where we have chosen to showcase everything that is most beautiful. On Sunday, we will start from the Arche Hotel in Nałęczów and head to Kazimierz Dolny, where there will be five 15-kilometer laps. It will be a great cycling feast,”described the route Czesław Lang, General Director of the Lang Team and the Tour de Pologne.
„Each rider will have the opportunity to present herself welland showcase her strengths. If it comes to a sprint finish, ourKaja Rysz will be able to show her sprinting skills. Karolina Perekitko, as everyone knows, may not be a rider who rideswell on hills but in high mountains, but I think that if shepresents the form she did just a few days ago, she will show strength on the hills too. The experience of Aurela Nerlo in attacks and breakaways will certainly come in handy,”explained Małgorzata Jasińska.
Women’s cycling is on the top
The coach of the Polish national team promises exciting, full-of-emotion racing. The international lineup will certainlyensure a high level, and for Polish cyclists, the race itself canalso serve as a springboard into professional cycling.
„I believe that the mere presence of young riders in the national team with more experienced teammates from foreignteams will allow them to see how to prepare professionally for a race and what it looks like. Each of them has touchedWestern cycling in the junior category, but I think thatobserving experienced riders will surely give them a lot. For the cyclists, it will also be a motivation – racing in front of Polish fans, on home turf. If any of them breaks away, I thinkthe cheers of the fans will carry them, giving them a lot of motivation and allowing them to showcase themselves in the cycling world. Such a race can also open doors to the West,”described Małgorzata Jasińska.
The Tour de Pologne Women fits perfectly into the trend of the development of Polish women’s cycling. Our compatriotsbelong to the world elite, and cyclists like Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Daria Pikulik, Marta Lach, or Dominika Włodarczyk fight for top positions in World Tour races.
„Not to offend the men, because men’s cycling is verythrilling, but if we consider the action in the race, women’sracing has more heart, passion, and less calculating, whichmakes this sport more exciting for the fans. I hope thatwomen’s cycling will continue to rise – more and more groupsand sports directors ask me about Polish riders who are not yet in professional teams, which shows that our cyclists arestarting to make their mark in the world. Maybe one day itwon’t be the Dutch or Belgians in the largest numbers in professional teams, but the Poles,” said the coach of the Polish national team. „Our riders deserve attention also from the Polish cycling community, and I think that not only is itworthwhile, but it’s also important to organize races for women. They put just as much effort into training as men and are just as professional,” added Małgorzata Jasińska.
We can’t wait to see the Polish riders in action during the Tour de Pologne Women from June 28-30. We warmly invite you to cheer for the cyclists in the Lublin region!
