The best U23 cyclists are returning to Polish roads! Wednesday’s stage from Łańcut to Jasło will kick off the 7th edition of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, one of the most important events for young riders. Four days of exciting competition on the roads of the Podkarpacie region lie ahead. It will be fast, tough, and spectacular! The riders will be competing not only for stage victories and the white ORLEN general classification jersey but also for the attention of the world’s top teams.
The wait is over – racing begins! On Wednesday, the 2025 edition of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, one of three races included in the UCI Nations Cup series for U23 riders, will begin. The first challenge awaiting rider from over 20 countries – including Poland – is the stage from Łańcut to Jasło.
Both towns in the Podkarpacie region boast a rich history. Łańcut is best known for its Baroque architectural gem – the Lubomirski and Potocki Castle – which, along with charming tenement houses and gardens, creates a unique atmosphere. Jasło, the finish town for Stage 1 of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, enchants with its cultural heritage, historic churches, winemaking traditions, and the picturesque landscapes of the nearby Low Beskids.
Aside from historical and visual appeal, the stage promises a wealth of sporting excitement. The unpredictable youth peloton will tackle a demanding 155-kilometer route. The first part of the stage, filled with short but steep climbs, will be particularly challenging. One of them – in Błażowa – will feature a special sprint prime.
The terrain then levels out and the riders will face the final and longest climb 30 kilometers from the finish. Everything will be decided on the flat finish in Jasło, where last year the breakaway surprised the peloton. A similar course profile means we can once again expect aggressive and bold racing from the young riders, especially since they will not have radio communication with their sports directors.
Riders to watch include Belgians Jente Michels and Aaron Dockx, Spaniard Iker Bonillo, Frenchman Emmanuel Houcou, Italian Filippo Agostinacchio, and Polish riders Dawid Lewandowski and the national road race champion, Marek Kapela from KK Tarnovia. However, youth races are known for unpredictable outcomes, so we eagerly await the start of the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix!
“The stage looks to be very interesting and demanding. There aren’t any long climbs, but we’re constantly going up and down on narrow, winding roads. I expect the stage to be dynamic from the very start, with lots of attacks, but in my opinion, it will end in a bunch sprint in Jasło” said Michał Paluta, former Polish elite road champion, who helped design the race’s route.
The winner of the Łańcut–Jasło stage will become the first leader of the ORLEN general classification – ORLEN being the Title Sponsor of the Nations Grand Prix. In the past, good results on stages and in the overall standings opened the door for many riders to the WorldTour, the highest level of professional cycling.
You don’t have to look far to find examples of riders who, after success on Polish roads, signed contracts with top teams. Last year’s stage winner in Jasło – Dane Peter Oxenberg – will ride for INEOS Grenadiers starting next year, the team of current rider Michał Kwiatkowski, world champion in Ponferrada and Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour winner.
Oxenberg was one of two breakaway riders who made it to the finish just ahead of the peloton. Among the sprinters finishing in the main group, the best was Briton Matthew Brennan – now a rider with the WorldTour team Visma | Lease a Bike, and a stage winner in prestigious races such as the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and the Tour de Romandie.
This year’s participants in the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix will start battling tomorrow on the demanding Podkarpacie roads and try to open the door to top-level cycling! Who will find the key? We’ll find out very soon!
Stage one starts in Łańcut at 12:45 and finishes in Jasło around 16:40. Extensive highlights will be available on TVP Sport, Eurosport, and the streaming platform MAX, with news coverage also featured on TVP 2, TVN’s “Fakty”, and TVN24 sports segments.
