"We are aiming for the GC win" - Visma wish to wrap up successful Tour de Pologne with overall title in final time trial
CyclingSunday, 09 August 2026 at 03:00
The 2026 Tour de Pologne will enter its final act on Sunday with a 12.5-kilometer time trial. The situation in general classification remains extremely close after Louis Barré's victory on penultimate stage.
Today's runner-up Cristian Scaroni however moves up to leader's jersey. The XDS Astana rider dethrones Bart Lemmen who slips to third as Barré leaps into second spot. All three riders sit within five seconds.
However the GC is ready for a complete shake up tomorrow as even 10th overall Iván Romeo (33 seconds behind overall leader Scaroni) still holds good chance to wear yellow jersey on Sunday thanks to his status of a top-tier time trialist.
For Visma, the situation doesn't change drastically. Neither of the top-3 riders is a superb timetrialist and will have to defend their positions tomorrow. Meanwhile, 13th Wilco Keldermann - usually much stronger against the clock - with 38 seconds to Scaroni might end up the best-ranked Visma rider after the time trial.
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"It’s a pity we lost the leader’s jersey, but the time trial is ahead of us and we are still aiming for the general classification win," Barré declared optimistically at the finish line.
Nothing to wait for
Barré took matters into his own hands already on the penultimate ascent to Bukowina resort, inspired by teammate Lemmen's attack from far out on stage 4. And just like the Dutch rider, he managed to hold off Astana's leader to win the stage.
Louis Barre wins stage 6 of the 2026 Tour de Pologne
"My attack today came from great form and the desire to make up for yesterday’s third place. Huge thanks to the whole team for their hard work – this is our shared success. Tomorrow, I’ll give it my all and we’ll see what the time trial brings."
Scaroni faces a "mission impossible"
Even though Barré celebrated his stage victory with a notable lead, it is Cristian Scaroni who slips into the leader's jersey, although the margin isn't great. Combine it with Scaroni's not-great time trial, and Sunday will be mostly about limitting losses.
"To be honest, I didn’t expect to take the leader’s jersey today. At the start of the stage, I didn’t feel my best and suffered quite a bit in the peloton, but the whole team did a massive job for me. Visma controlled the tempo for most of the day, which worked in our favor because Alberto Bettiol and I know we are fast on these short, steep climbs," Scaroni explained.
"Before the final lap, we took initiative and pulled hard at the front to set up the finish. It’s a shame that one rider got away and we finished second, but I am extremely proud of the guys. We have the leader’s jersey, and even though tomorrow’s time trial isn’t my specialty, we will definitely give everything to secure the best possible result."
Depending on the riders' feeling in the morning, Astana might even see stronger time trialist pass Scaroni on Sunday. The two Italians are separated by 33 seconds and it's quite possible they will conclude the race at roughly same positions.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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