The season’s 27th World Tour event, the Tour de Pologne (29 July – 4 August) will feature three uphill finishes, which together with the absence of an individual time trial will see the balance heavily weighted towards climbers and puncheurs, who’ll fight for supremacy in Szczyrk, Zakopane and Bukowina Tatrzanska, leaving the sprinters to take centre stage on the other four days of the race which this year will run its 74th edition.
For 25-year-old Bob Jungels – best young rider of the Giro d’Italia for the second season running – the Tour de Pologne will be his first outing since notching another national title one month ago, and the Luxembourger is more than eager to return to competition.
“I looked over the parcours and I can say it’s going to be a hard race,” said Jungels who made his Tour de Pologne debut in 2014. “But it’s also a nice race that I like and I think it is a good option for us riders who didn’t do the Tour de France to try something over here.
“I am for sure keen to do my best in order to get a good result in my first race after this month’s two-week altitude camp in Livigno”,
Rémi Cavagna, Laurens De Plus, Davide Martinelli – a stage winner and yellow jersey wearer at the previous edition – Maximilian Schachmann, Niki Terpstra and Petr Vakoc, who soloed to a stage victory en route to a top 10 overall finish in 2014, will also be part of the Quick-Step Floors squad for the race.
Quick Step Floors team for Tour de Pologne
Rémi Cavagna (FRA)
Laurens De Plus (BEL)
Bob Jungels (LUX)
Davide Martinelli (ITA)
Maximilian Schachmann (GER)
Niki Terpstra (NED)
Petr Vakoc (CZE)
Stages
29.07.17 Stage 1 Krakow – Krakow 130.0 km
30.07.17 Stage 2 Tarnowskie Góry – Katowice 142.0 km
31.07.17 Stage 3 Jaworzno – Szczyrk 161.0 km
01.08.17 Stage 4 Zawiercie – Zabrze 238.0 km
02.08.17 Stage 5 Olimp Nagawczyna – Rzeszów 130.0 km
03.08.17 Stage 6 Wieliczka Salt Mine – Zakopane 199.0 km
04.08.17 Stage 7 Bukovina Resort – Bukowina Tatrzanska 132.0 km
