PREVIEW | Tour de Pologne 2024 stage 2 - Can Jonas Vingegaard take over race lead in key hilly time-trial?
Cycling
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.
Stage 2 (ITT): Myslakowice - Karpacz, 15.4 kilometers
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
Map Tour de Pologne 2024 stage 2
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
** 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
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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The route for the 81st Tour de Pologne has been revealed! 😍🚴🏻♂️ In less than a month, the 81st Tour de Pologne will begin in Wrocław. The competition will traditionally last 7 days and conclude at Kraków's Błonia, where we will learn the winners of various classifications. CHECK
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