The performance of the Polish national team in this year’s edition of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix was impressive. Riding the wave of success from Mateusz Gajdulewicz and Patryk Goszczurny, the White-and-Reds delivered another strong performance in the next round of the UCI Nations Cup — the Course de la Paix in the Czech Republic. Mateusz Gajdulewicz finished 8th overall!
Held from May 14 to 17, the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix brought plenty of excitement for cycling fans. The fierce competition among the world’s best U23 riders truly captured the essence of under-23 racing. On the challenging roads of the Podkarpacie region, the young cyclists displayed determination, resilience in difficult conditions, and a constant drive to attack and turn the race around — even when everything seemed already decided.
Among those who made a strong impression on the fans were the Polish riders. After a tough start to the race with two disappointing stages, they launched a determined attack. In the penultimate stage, Mateusz Gajdulewicz finished 3rd, propelling him to 6th place in the overall standings of the race sponsored by ORLEN, the title sponsor of the Nations Grand Prix. The following day, Patryk Goszczurny claimed 2nd place, while his teammate Gajdulewicz held on to a high position in the general classification.
After a successful showing in the first round of the UCI Nations Cup, the Polish squad traveled to the Czech Republic to take part in another event in the series, the Peace Race. Once again, the team was led by the experienced — for this age category — Mateusz Gajdulewicz, a rider from the continental team Mazowsze Serce Polski.
Throughout five days of competition, he showed consistency and solid form, which helped him finish high in the final classification once again. This time, he secured 8th place. The race was won by Pau Marti of Spain, with Denmark’s Simon Dalby and Italy’s Simone Gualdi rounding out the podium.
Fifth place went to Peter Oxenberg of Denmark, who won a stage of last year’s ORLEN Nations Grand Prix with a finish in Jasło.
“Cycling has advanced a lot and it’s getting more and more difficult, but I believe that this generation — along with the younger juniors who recently won the Nations’ Cup in the Czech Republic — represents the future of Polish cycling. Before long, we’ll see them in the world’s biggest races and on WorldTour teams. I’m glad we’re heading in that direction” said Mateusz Gajdulewicz after the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, referring to Jan Jackowiak’s recent victory in the junior Peace Race.
With two rounds of the prestigious UCI Nations Cup for U23 riders now behind us — including the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix — the final event will be the Tour de l’Avenir in August, often referred to as the “Tour de France for the youth.”
