From stage three onward the race changes however, with three stages that have very mixed profiles, all however suited to the classics riders. Stage three into Przemysl will see a hilly finale and a hilltop finish which features gradients of up to 15%, in a final climb that has 1.5Km at 7.7%. Stage four has small climbs spread throughout the entire day, with a combination two ascents - 4.6Km at 5% and 4.8Km at 5.9% - inside the final 40 kilometers which may see attacks, and the punchy finale in Sanok will be equally challenging.
Stage five into Rzeszow will be another hilly one, albeit more suited to breakaways or a reduced bunch sprint as the climbs featured are not overly hard, and provide the opportunity for an open race. Stage six may be the queens stage, with an 11.8Km time-trial in the Zakopane area which will mostly be uphill and will create vital gaps. Stage seven will wrap off the race, with a hilly start but a finale that should be decided between the sprinters into Kraków.
The final startlist includes: Mark Cavendish, Mauro Schmid, Andrea Vendrame, Phil Bauhaus, Sam Bennett,
Sergio Higuita, Jordi Meeus, Simone Consonni, Arnaud Démare,
Richard Carapaz,
Ethan Hayter, Magnus Sheffield, Elia Viviani,
Quinten Hermans, Olav Kooij, Kaden Groves,
Thymen Arensman, Matteo Moschetti, Pascal Ackermann,
Diego Ulissi, Jakub Mareczko,
Tobias Johannessen and Stanislaw Aniolkowski.
CyclingUpToDate prediction:
**** Ethan Hayter
*** Sergio Higuita, Richard Carapaz
** Thymen Arensman, Tobias Johannessen,
Pello Bilbao*
Ben Tulett, Diego Ulissi, Quinten Hermans,
Samuele BattistellaStage 1: Kielce - Lublin, 218Km
Stage 2: Chelm - Zamosc, 203.9Km
Stage 3: Krasnik - Przemysl, 229.7Km
Stage 4: Lesko - Sanok, 176.8Km
Stage 5: Lancut - Rzeszów, 205Km
Stage 6 (ITT): Szaflary - Wierch Rusinski, 11.8Km
Stage 7: Valsir - Kraków, 175Km