Mattia Cattaneo’s best Katowice time trial!
Mattia Cattaneo (Soudal Quick-Step) confirmed his good form and proved to be the fastest rider in Katowice by beating João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) at the end of the 16.6-kilometre route along the streets of Katowice at an average speed of 51,965 kph.
The Italian rider, 3 times-medallist in the discipline at the National Championship, conquered his first World Tour success. “I am happy with my performance. It is always nice to win, but when you beat such a great field of riders it tastes even better.” admitted a very excited Mattia Cattaneo. “This morning I was calm. I knew I had good legs and I just tried to do my best to get in the zone before the start. I’m over the moon. I’m working hard on these disciplines that I love. Today I was also motivated by the fact that the last 500 metres of the ITT were the same as the stage where Fabio Jakobsen crashed three years ago. That left me with a strange feeling at the end of the reconnaissance, but at the same time it made me want to do my best and I’m happy with the result,” said Mattia. “Thanks to this performance I’m now 5th in the GC. Unfortunately I lost 40″ on the first day. I’m getting older and it always takes a bit of time to get into the rhythm of the race, but I’m not complaining. Today I’m happy to celebrate this victory. Now I am going to the World Championships to compete in the ITT. I know my place in the peloton, so a top 10 would be a great result. I will give everything as usual and see what the result will be in the end.”
After the ITT, Matej Mohorič leads the race with a few hundredths of a second on João Almeida and 14″ on Polish national ITT champion Michał Kwiatkowski.
The winner of the 2021 Polish seven-day race, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), explains: “I think I did the best I could on the ITT. I felt good, I had a good start and I had a bit of fuel left for the finish. I am also very happy with the cornering and I had good legs. I am a bit frustrated to be honest because I was so close. I knew Mohoric would be good, even though he said he didn’t feel good about the ITT. Two years ago he was pretty fast too, I knew it would be hard to gain much time on him but I did my best today and during the whole week. Yesterday I was close in the sprint, I took the bonuses and well … it is what it is. Better second than third. Of course I won’t miss any opportunity tomorrow, I’ll fight if I can, we’ll see”. He smiles.
Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) finished his individual time trial with a best time of 19’25” placing 11th, 25″ behind the winner and 12″ seconds behind the UAE Team Emirates’ Portuguese rider. A result that allowed the Slovenian to keep the leader’s jersey at the end of the sixth and penultimate stage. “I had really good legs today, maybe I held back too much in the first part of the time trial. I should have pushed more. I made the same mistake in 2021 when I was fighting with Joao for the overall. In the second part, which was the hardest, I did my best and it was enough to retain the jersey. Now we have the same time, so tomorrow I have to make sure that he doesn’t get a bonus or that I get more than him. I’m confident and I have a great team behind me. I will try to stay close to Joao and follow him. If he goes for the bonus sprint, I will do the same and eventually go for the sprint if necessary to defend my lead.”
Unlike previous editions, the winner of the 80th edition of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour has not yet been decided, leaving room for possible twists and turns in the final stage, which will take the riders from Zabrze to Kraków.
Michał Kwiatkowski, now third in the overall standings, 14″ down on the Slovenian commented: “Today for me it was a bit like all of nothing. Either I’d have the best legs ever or I’d finish with nothing. I kind of finished with nothing. I’m third on the GC, but of course the goal of this race was to get the yellow jersey. I tried and fought all the time for my fans and the team. The Polish fans were great and I appreciate their support, I hope they enjoyed the race. Mateij did a great race, he defended every day and won the second stage. Hats off to him.”
Tomorrow’s stage
The peloton will cover almost 167 kilometres from Zabrze to Krakow, where the race traditionally ends.
The finish line will be in Krakow’s Błonia after the riders have completed three laps of the circuit on the city’s streets. Before arriving in Kraków, there will be the LOTTO Intermediate Sprints in Wilamowice, the cat-3 PZU KOMs in Witanowice and Kaszów, and the Special Sprint SOUDAL – 95 Years of the Tour de Pologne in Budzyń. Finally, the podium ceremony for the protagonists of the 80th Tour de Pologne will take place in Krakow’s Błonia.
The finish line will be in Krakow’s Błonia after the riders have completed three laps of the circuit on the city’s streets. Before arriving in Kraków, there will be the LOTTO Intermediate Sprints in Wilamowice, the cat-3 PZU KOMs in Witanowice and Kaszów, and the Special Sprint SOUDAL – 95 Years of the Tour de Pologne in Budzyń. Finally, the podium ceremony for the protagonists of the 80th Tour de Pologne will take place in Krakow’s Błonia.
RESULTS AFTER STAGE 6
- GC ORLEN – Matej Mohorič (Bahrain – Victorious)
- BEST SPRINTER ENERGA – Matej Mohorič (Bahrain – Victorious)
- BEST CLIMBER PZU – Markus Hoelgaard (Lidl-Trek)
- MOST ACTIVE LOTTO – Patryk Stosz (Reprezentacja Polski)
- BEST TEAM KGHM – UAE Team Emirates
- STAGE WINNER DRUTEX – Mattia Cattaneo (Soudal Quick-Step)
- BEST POLISH ENERGA – Michał Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers)