The prestigious UCI World Tour series has barely begun but the riders who have previously achieved success in the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix have already shown themselves in a very positive light. British rider Matthew Brennan — the star of last year’s edition of the Polish race — came close to victory in the first stage, while Germany’s Tim Torn Teutenberg, who placed fourth overall three years ago, also finished near the top.
The idea behind the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, a race that is part of the most important series for riders under 23, is to give young, talented cyclists a chance to showcase themselves to the world. Each edition is closely watched by World Tour scouts, and most of the riders who achieved good results in Poland and neighboring countries later secure contracts with the best teams in the world.
It doesn’t take long to see the success of riders for whom the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix played an important role in their development, which attests to the high standard of the event.
On Tuesday, the Santos Tour Down Under — the first men’s race on the UCI World Tour calendar, which also includes the Tour de Pologne — began in Australia. On the very first day, Matthew Brennan from Team Visma | Lease a Bike dazzled with his finish, narrowly missing victory and taking second place at the line, losing only to Sam Welsford from Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe.
The British rider showcased his versatility in last year’s edition of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, where, as a first-year under-23 rider, he placed 4th overall. But that’s not all! Across five stages, he finished outside the top five only once, placing… 6th at Strbske Pleso. Just a few days after his phenomenal performance at the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, Brennan was announced as a rider for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, one of the best teams in the world.
Another sprinter shone in Australia — Germany’s Tim Torn Teutenberg from Lidl-Trek. He finished 4th twice in stages of the Santos Tour Down Under. He also placed 4th overall in the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix 2022, where, along with his teammates, he dominated the final stage. The young German later went on to win, among other races, the youth edition of the Paris-Roubaix monument, and this year he permanently joined the World Tour roster of Lidl-Trek, where — as we can see — he’s fitting in very well.
Three stages remain in the race, so it’s definitely worth continuing to follow and cheer for the riders known from the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix!
