"I had to hold back from attacking too early" - Jan Christen takes Pologne victory on instinct
CyclingFriday, 07 August 2026 at 21:30
The Tour de Pologne is having a very tight battle for the overall classification and today it was Jan Christen who stood out for the most positive reasons. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider crashed the previous day - which saw three of his teammates withdraw from the race - but has struck back with a convincing triumph.
“I’m really, really happy. It was a very difficult stage. Honestly, I wasn’t feeling great for a good part of the day because of my crash yesterday. My back hurt quite a bit, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go for it," Christen said in a post-race interview.
The previous day UAE looked to be setting up Christen and João Almeida right for one of the course' technical sections, until the majority of the team went down on the wet roads.
The Swiss rider was able to finish amongst the best, but far from impressive on a stage won by Bart Lemmen. This time around, in a finale designed for the pure puncheurs, he was ready and eager to attack.
It was a special win for Christen. The Swiss champion not only took his first World Tour win, but also did it in front of someone special.
"But with about 30 kilometers to go, I started to feel better and better, and I regained my confidence. My girlfriend is here too, and I wanted to give her something back. So it’s incredible to get this win, my first in the WorldTour, here in Poland.”
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Timing the key part to winning
As Neilson Powless accelerated on the steep climb to Kocierz. The gradients were immensely high and it was a hard climb to measure - ideal for a pure puncheur such as Christen.
He had the position and the legs, but did not want to attack too early. “The hardest part was staying calm. About a kilometer and a half from the summit, I felt really strong and I had to hold back from attacking too early".
In the steep gradients it would be harder to make the difference. But as soon as they began to lower, he was off the front with an explosive attack. "When I saw the summit appear on my computer, I thought it was the right moment to attack".
Christen initially gained a convincing gap and looked set for a solo win. After the pursuit of Marco Brenner from Tudor, Christen slowed down, placing his chips on a sprint. It was not easy against the German, but he went on to be the fast in the final uphill stretch.
"In the end, it was really very hard. I think I could have won in a sprint, but I wanted to try and gain some time in the general classification. Once again, it worked, so I'm really very happy," he concluded, having climbed from 17th to 4th in GC, now 18 seconds away from yellow jersey Bart Lemmen.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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