PREVIEW | Tour de Pologne 2024 stage 2 - Can Jonas Vingegaard take over race lead in key hilly time-trial?

From the 12th to 18th of August we have on the road the Tour de Pologne. It collides with other big races in the calendar but every year it features a quality startlist with all kinds of riders. The seven stages will provide plenty opportunities in the only World Tour stage-race that comes between the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. We preview stage 2.

Day 2 of the race is a time-trial, 15 kilometers long with a false-flat start and the same finale as the opening stage. There is a 2-kilometers ascent at 5% and the final kilometers will be familiar to the riders. It is a day for full time-trial setup as the first kilometers will be fast but even the climbs aren't really steep enough to justify any meaningful change.

The final hilltop is a gradual rise to the line as well It's 3.2 kilometers at 6.5%, most of the climb in big-ring gradients, but in the final kilometer it goes up to 10%. The final 500 meters are the toughest. It's not the easiest of time-trial to pace honestly, but there should be energy saved for the finale as there is road to make some important differences on that final climb.

The Weather

A slight breeze from the east could make it a tailwind on most of the final climb, making it faster.

The Favourites

Jonas Vingegaard - San Sebastián Vingegaard was bad. But today's Vingegaard wasn't. He didn't win the stage but he was among the best in a hilly finish. He's not in peak form obviously but he looked good and against the clock we know what he can do. With some climbing involved and no slipstreaming it's a much less explosive effort than today, it will suit him better.

Others - Well I think it's fair to phrase it like that, since the rest of the competition is quite below on paper. It has to be a strong mix of climber/puncheur and time-trialist... Magnus Sheffield, Max Schachmann and his teammate Wilco Kelderman are likely the best options to fight for the win. Jan Christen also looked very strong today and I wouldn't be surprised if he was also among the best.

Lukas Nerurkar was quite strong today and I expect him to be there once again tomorrow when it matters the most. Defending champion Matej Mohoric, Will Barta, Raul García Pierna, Pello Bilbao, Tobias Foss, Samuele Battistella and Felix Grossschartner are likely to be among those who want to fight for the GC and can do quite well.

We could see other outsiders in the fight for a strong results such as Tim Wellens, Rémi Cavagna, Lorenzo Milesi, Mads Pedersen, Rune Herregodts and Connor Swift.

Prediction Tour de Pologne 2024 stage 2:

*** Jonas Vingegaard
** Magnus Sheffield, Max Schachmann, Wilco Kelderman
* Jan Christen, Matej Mohoric, Will Barta, Pello Bilbao, Feliz Grossschartner, Tim Wellens, Mads Pedersen, Rune Herregodts

Pick: Jonas Vingegaard