After the inaugural stage in Gdansk, with a commemoration of Solidarnosc and the anniversary of 25 years since the first free elections in Poland, the Tour de Pologne caravan is headed south.
The second stage will start in Torun, an important city for several different factors. In fact, here, on February 19th, 1473, Niccolò Copernicus was born. He was the Polish astronomer who would become famous for proving the theory of heliocentricity. His genius and intuition are credited for the Copernican revolution, which led to a new vision of the universe. Through a rigorous demonstration using precise mathematical calculations, Copernicus proved what the ancient Greeks sustained but were unable demonstrate, that the sun lies at the centre of an orbital system of planets that make up the solar system.
Two other stars were also born in Torun, but Copernicus wasn’t lucky enough to get to meet them. Here we’re referring to two pedalling celebrities, Michal Kwiatkowski, the Polish champion who has confirmed himself at an international level with his important victories and results, and Michal Golas, both riding for the Belgian team Omega Pharma Quick-Step but who unfortunately are not participating in the Tour de Pologne after their brilliant performances, particularly Kwiatkowsk’s, at the Tour de France. Both were special guests of Tour de Pologne at the today start. This stage, too, will be long and flat, with the arrival in the capital, Warsaw, smack dab in the centre of the city at Theatre Square (Plac Teatralne). The first two fractions of the Tour de Pologne, both 226 km, are the longest stages in the 2014 edition. Today’s will be a stage suited to sprinters. The final circuit will pass in front of the palace of the President of the Republic Komorowski, a patron for the entire race.
Yesterday’s stage winner: Yauheni Hutarovich (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Top 5 general classification (yellow Skandia jersey)
1) Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Ag2r La Mondiale 5:47:28
2) Roman Maikin (Rus) RusVelo 0:00:04
3) Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:00:08
4) Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat 0:00:08
5) Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale 0:00:08
Tauron cyclamen jersey: Maciej Paterski (CCC Polsat)
(GPM classification)
Lotto blue jersey: Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar)
(classification for most active rider in the group)
Lang Team white-red jersey: Yauheni Hutarovich (Ag2r La Mondiale)
(points classification)
Team classification: Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
Riders in race: 164. Didn’t start: Jani Brajkovic (Astana), Niccolò Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) and Sander Armee (Lotto-Belisol).
