The results of the riders participating and achieving success in the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix show that the event has been a forge for future cycling stars since its first edition. The Saturday race Il Piccolo Lombardia – the youth version of the cycling monument – was dominated by the riders who previously played key roles in the Polish race.
ORLEN Nations Grand Prix has firmly established itself in the calendar of the prestigious UCI Nations Cup – the most important series of races for riders under 23. Together with the French Tour de l’Avenir, often called the youth Tour de France, and the Czech Peace Race, it is among the most significant stage races of the season.
Teams from all over the world compete every year on the roads of Poland and neighboring countries, and cyclists fighting for victories here quickly catch the attention of the best World Tour teams. The 6-year history of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix includes cases of athletes who, after success in this event, not only competed later in the Tour de Pologne but also won stages of the only UCI World Tour stage race in this part of Europe. This group includes the Dutch riders Olav Kooij and Marijn van den Berg.
“Great talents are born at the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix. There’s Marijn van den Berg or Olav Kooij, who won this race and later won stages of the Tour de Pologne and Giro d’Italia. I am very happy about this because I have seen these riders here. For many cyclists, it’s an opportunity to showcase themselves, get into professional teams, and become great cyclists,” said Czesław Lang, General Director of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix.
More riders that we got to know on the routes of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix are breaking through to the world’s elite, as exemplified by the recent Il Piccolo Lombardia race. The name may coincidentally remind one of the famous cycling monument Il Lombardia. Saturday’s struggles over the hills and walls of northern Italy were a preview before the elite competition, in which the best under-23 riders could showcase their abilities.
Among them were Brieuc Rolland (France), Federico Savino (Italy), and Gal Glivar (Slovenia), who fought for the final victory and ultimately finished in that order at the finish line. Fans may very well recognize the names of the Frenchman and the Slovenian from the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix.
Competing in the youth World Tour team Groupama-FDJ, Brieuc Rolland this year finished second in the general classification, losing only to his compatriot, Mathys Rondel. The French dominated the second stage of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, finishing with a climb up Kohutka, and held the lead until the end of the race. Moreover, Rolland later won the overall series of the UCI Nations Cup.
Gal Glivar is another Slovenian golden child. Representing UAE Team Emirates Gen Z, the 22-year-old has the opportunity to learn from the best, including his compatriot Tadej Pogačar. It’s worth recalling that the Slovenian triumphed in the overall classification of last year’s ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, where he impressed with his consistency. It was thanks to this that he brought the leader’s jersey to the finish line at Hotel Arłamów!
Such remarkable results of riders who made a name for themselves through the ORLEN Nations Race can only fill the organizers with pride. It is certain that this will not be the last time we hear about the mentioned duo of athletes, but not only them. The whole season has shown that the cyclists who arrived in May in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland are top under-23 riders and have a bright future ahead of them!
