Tomasz Marczyński and Michał Gołaś at their last Tour de Pologne.

The Tour de Pologne 2021 will remain in the memory of Tomasz Marczyński and Michał Gołaś, two of the strongest and best known athletes on the Polish cycling scene. At the end of the season, in fact, both will end their careers.

Their generation, along with that of Michał Kwiatkowski, has lived through an era in which cycling has become increasingly international and the Tour de Pologne one of the most important races in the world.

Both born in 1984, they have followed different careers, playing in important teams and bringing the quality of the Polish school on the roads all over the world.

“I started this season knowing it would be my last year as a professional. Now that I’m here I’m happy, I like racing in the Tour de Pologne, there are so many fans supporting me and cheering for me. It’s really awesome,” confesses Tomasz Marczyński, three-time Polish road champion and winner of two stages at the Vuelta, as well as many other successes in his career. “Cycling has given me so much, my career has been a child’s dream come true. I was national champion, I won a lot of races, I travelled a lot, I met a lot of people and went to countries, I learned languages, and it was a beautiful journey. I have devoted my time to cycling 100% and now I feel I have to start a new part of my life. If someone had asked me two years ago when I would stop racing, I would not have had an answer, it felt like this day would never come. Then, things change and projects take shape. I will definitely involved with cycling in some way. I still have to decide, but there are many things that will keep me connected to the bike. I feel it’s time for a change but I’m happy.”

“When I extended my contract in 2019 I knew I would stop at the end of this year,” explained Gołaś among the strongest and most respected domestiques in the peloton. “It’s a decision I’ve matured over time. I feel it’s time to dedicate to my family and give them back everything they have given me over the years of racing around the world. It’s not an easy decision to make, but this is the right time. I’d like to stop by overcoming the 1,000-race barrier in my career. At the end of the Tour de Pologne there will be 987 days of racing, so I should be able to make it. Of course the goal is to do my best for the team until the end of the season. I haven’t won a lot in my career but I’ve been lucky enough to ride alongside some great champions, and Michał Kwiatkowski has a special place among them. They were unforgettable years with him, and I’m happy to have been part of the victory at the Ponferrada World Championship, the highest moment in the history of Polish cycling”

At the end of the season cycling will be a little poorer.