On Tuesday, August 12, the three-day Tour de Pologne Women will begin. The route, set along the roads of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, will feature stars of both Polish and world cycling, led by Dominika Włodarczyk. On the eve of the race, a press conference was held at the hotel Arche Nałęczów dawne Sanatorium Milicyjne – with participants including Czesław Lang, General Director of Lang Team, and Władysław Grochowski, President of the Arche Group.
The conclusion of the 82nd Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour does not mean the end of top-level cycling excitement. From August 12 to 14, the 3rd Tour de Pologne Women will be contested on the roads of the Lubelskie region, featuring as many as seven UCI Women’s WorldTeams – the cycling’s highest division.
The race route promises to be very interesting. All stages will take place in the Lubelskie and Roztocze, with the competition promoting both elite sport and Poland itself.
– Roztocze is a demanding area, with no flat sections and numerous climbs of up to 10% that can really test the riders. This means the peloton could break apart at any moment, making the race extremely dynamic. Seven Women’s WorldTour teams are competing this year, guaranteeing the highest sporting level. Each stage is also a unique opportunity to promote Poland – live broadcasts on TVP Sport and Eurosport will reach dozens of countries. We will show viewers the beauty of the Lubelskie region and Roztocze, combining race excitement with the presentation of our landscapes – said Czesław Lang, General Director of the Tour de Pologne.
– The timing is perfect for tourism and tourist services. The Tour de Pologne promotes the beauty of Poland in the field, with views close to nature, so we share common goals and are very happy that we can contribute, at least in part, to what Czesław Lang is doing – and we are doing it for Poland – said Władysław Grochowski, President of the Arche Group and the hotel Arche Nałęczów dawne Sanatorium Milicyjne, which serves as the accommodation base for the 3rd Tour de Pologne Women.
This year’s 3rd Tour de Pologne Women will start from historic Zamość, where the opening stage will both start and finish. More about Poland’s “Pearl of the Renaissance” was shared by the Mayor of Zamość, Rafał Zwolak.
– We are starting from Zamość, a city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and I hope we will have a spectacular event. We are fully prepared, and the route will lead through the picturesque Roztocze – Adamów, Krasnobród, Józefów, Zwierzyniec – all the way to Szczebrzeszyn, the last town before the finish line. It’s a unique opportunity to present our region to fans in Poland and worldwide. I ride a bike myself, and I know that Roztocze is not only about beautiful views but also challenging climbs. This stage, despite its charm, will not be easy – said Rafał Zwolak, Mayor of Zamość.
On the second day, the peloton will arrive in Chełm, where the riders will start the stage. It is also there that we will learn the stage winner and the rider who will go into the final day wearing the yellow ORLEN General Classification leader’s jersey. The final stage will take place on a demanding, rolling course from Nałęczów to Kraśnik, showcasing the scenic landscapes of the Lubelskie region.
– Such a world-class event is a huge opportunity for us to promote the region – to showcase the tourist, natural, and cultural assets of the Lubelskie region. We are delighted to once again host the best female cyclists in the world, with the Marshal’s Office as a strategic partner of the race. We want to attract tourists and present our greatest treasures – natural landscapes, often untouched by humans, which can be admired here while fully experiencing our motto: “Lubelskie – taste life” – said Marek Wojciechowski, Deputy Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship.
Following last year’s revival of the Tour de Pologne Women, the event has been promoted to first-category status. It has attracted great interest from top teams, as evidenced by the start list, which features seven of the fifteen UCI Women’s WorldTour squads.
The field will include Dominika Włodarczyk of UAE Team ADQ, a former Polish champion who recently finished fourth overall at the Tour de France Femmes. Other Polish cycling stars on the start line include Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto), Marta Jaskulska, and last year’s Tour de Pologne Women stage podium finisher Kaja Rysz. Both Jaskulska and Rysz will race in the colours of the Polish National Team.
The peloton will also feature Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly), winner of the first-ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes; multiple world champion Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek); talented Zoe Backstedt; as well as Chiara Consonni, Tiffany Cromwell (both Canyon//SRAM Racing), Emma Norsgaard Bjerg (Lidl-Trek), and last year’s runner-up Scarlett Souren (VolkerWessels).
As with the men’s Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour, the 3rd Tour de Pologne Women will be broadcast on TVP, Eurosport, and the MAX streaming platform, bringing coverage to fans in 65 countries.