The challenge is on! Here are the top riders of the Tour de Pologne 2023
GC contenders, stage hunters and specialists: the best of the WorldTour gather in Poznań for the grand start of the Polish race
The 80th edition of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour is gearing up to be a challenging and exhilarating race, with a star-studded start list that will give spectators an unforgettable spectacle stage after stage.
Seven fractions in which the best riders on the international scene will test themselves, with one last and precious opportunity to fine-tune their form before the upcoming rainbow events of the following weeks. Whether they are stage hunters, GC favourites, sprinters or classics riders, all will have the chance to leave their mark on the race’s prestigious palmares.
Among the top riders are João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), winner of the 2021 edition, Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers), back from a stellar May in Italy, Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates), winner of the 2016 TdP, and Pavel Sivakov (INEOS Grenadiers), winner of the 2019 TdP.
Flying the flag of Polish pride will be two former winners of the home race, Rafał Majka (UAE Team Emirates) and Michał Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers), winner of the 2018 Tour de Pologne and recent master of the iconic ascent of the Grand Colombier. Among the outsiders is Thymen Arensmann (INEOS Grenadiers), who won a stage in the last edition.
It will come as no surprise to see Almeida and Thomas fighting for the GC, but along with them, Edward Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla), Ivan Cortina (Movistar Team), Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and the revelation Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) will also be looking for a podium finish in Krakow.
This spectacular final stage, together with the fourth one, are set to provide the perfect terrain for the sprinters. Alongside protagonists such as Fernando Gaviria (Team Movistar), Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) and Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), fans will also be able to see Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), Jakub Mareczko (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Sam Bennett (BORA – hansgrohe, Maximilian Walscheid (Cofidis) and Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) in what promises to be two heart-stopping finales.
There will be room for Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates), Lennard Kamna and Giovanni Aleotti (both Bora-Hansgrohe) in the mountain finishes, while there will be plenty of action from afar, led by solo breakaway legend Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Dstny).
The scenario for the Tour de Pologne 2023, which kicks off on Saturday 29th July, is therefore varied and exciting, with a start list that guarantees a captivating spectacle on Polish roads, with many possibilities for interpretation. The date is set in Poznań for the grand opening of an edition full of anniversaries, which promises seven days filled with pure entertainment with the best of international cycling.