Report: Polish National Championships 2014 – Road races

autor: Paweł Gadzała :: 1 lipca 2014, 21:16@8aldwin

Matysiak wins in Sobótka, Guz takes a surprise victory in women race

Bartłomiej Matysiak and his CCC Polsat Polkowice team broke the dominance of stranieri, as 29-year-old sprinted to the victory in Sobótka, winning his first national champion title. Matysiak is also the first rider racing for Polish team to win the jersey in last two years.

ActiveJet Team’s Paweł Franczak finished second, while his teammate Michał Podlaski came in 3rd, marking a successful day for new continental project.

Defending champion Michał Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) failed to play a significant part in the race, as he crossed the line 6 minutes behind the race winner.

I would like to dedicate this victory to my father who died almost a year ago. It is a very special day for me

– Matysiak said during press conference after the race.

Before the race we agreed that the team will work for me. It all worked out perfectly, we weren’t surprised when Kwiatkowski was dropped. When Podlaski attacked in the final 5km, I followed and managed to get on Franczak’s wheel. Then it was all about two-men sprint.

It was never meant to be easy – Sunday’s race consisted of ten 22km laps, with Tąpadła Pass marking the greatest difficulty at the begining of the undulating round. Sobótka hosted the event for the second consecutive time and the lap for every category was exactly the same, mirroring 2013 route.

Matysiak was a part of 19-riders group that cristallized with 2 laps to go, once Piotr Wadecki’s riders made sure the group with defending champion is no longer a threat. Orange train had to control the situation and reel in the last attacker – Maciej Bodnar. Cannondale rider tried his luck solo, establishing a gap of 45 seconds, but was chased down and had to surrender before the start of the final round.

With only one lap to go, a group of five attacked – ActiveJet Team’s Michał Podlaski and Paweł Franczak took the initiative, while Michał Gołaś (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Matysiak followed. Race’s youngest competitor – Przemysław Kasperkiewicz (Bauknecht Author) – was also there.

Podlaski and Franczak launched attacks in the final kilometers and managed to drop Gołaś and Kasperkiewicz. Matysiak sticked to Franczak’s wheel and outsprinted him in the final. Podlaski took bronze and 20-year-old Kasperkiewicz finished 4th, ahead of Gołaś and chasing pack.

Results:

 1. Bartłomiej Matysiak (CCC Polsat Polkowice)     5:06:25
 2. Paweł Franczak (ActiveJet Team)                  00:01
 3. Michał Podlaski (ActiveJet Team)                 00:09
 4. Przemysław Kasperkiewicz (Bauknecht-Author)      00:32 
 5. Michał Gołaś (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)           00:34
 6. Leszek Pluciński (BDC MarcPol)                   00:38
 7. Przemysław Niemiec (Lampre-Merida)
 8. Tomasz Marczyński (CCC Polsat Polkowice)         00:39
 9. Marek Rutkiewicz (CCC Polsat Polkowice)          00:48
 10. Artur Detko (Mexller Team)                      02:52

FULL RESULTS

Elite women

Paulina Guz outsprinted her fellow breakaway companions to take gold in elite women race.

While everyone was expecting riders like Kasia Pawłowska (Boels Dolmans), Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabobank-Liv), Paulina Brzeźna-Bentkowska (TKK Pacific Toruń) or Eugenia Bujak (BTC City Ljubljana) to dominate the race as in 2013, the very first breakaway stayed clear and made it to the line, benefiting from lack of cooperation and waiting game among favourites.

We were working together well but I was very surprised to hear that the gap went up to 7 minutes. With two laps to go, we knew that fight for podium spots is in our hands

– Guz said during press conference.

Monika Brzeźna (TKK Pacific Toruń) sprinted to second and MTB rider Monika Żur (4F Racing Team) came in third.

Paulina [Brzeźna-Bentkowska] was our team leader, I was expecting the favourites to catch us at some point

– Brzeźna admitted.

Group of favourites crossed the line 1:41 after Guz, with Brzeźna-Bentkowska winning the sprint. In U-23 category Żur took gold medal, Karolina Karasiewicz was second and Kasia Niewiadoma took bronze.

Nobody wanted to take responsibility, we weren’t working together well. Girls were looking at each other. I tried to attack when the gap hit 3 minutes but there was nobody to help

– Niewiadoma said.

Results:

1. Paulina Guz (LKS Atom Boxmet Dzierżoniów)                      3:08:18
2. Monika Brzeźna (TKK Pacific Toruń) 
3. Monika Żur (4f Racing)                                           00:01
4. Karolina Karasiewicz (ALKS Stal-Ocetix-Iglotex Grudziądz)        00:04
5. Paulina Brzeźna-Bentkowska (TKK Pacific Toruń)                   01:41
6. Eugenia Bujak (BTC City Ljubljana)
7. Katarzyna Pawłowska (Boels Dolmans)
8. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabobank-Liv)
9. Małgorzata Jasińska (Ale Cipollini)                              01:43
10. Katarzyna Wilkos (TKK Pacific Toruń)

FULL RESULTS

U23 men

Piotr Brożyna soled to victory in U23 race, breaking away from a group of five that stayed clear in the final kilometres of the race. 19-year-old was the last one to get on board of race’s decesive action. He then went on to survive attacks and shuffles and found himself in leading group at the begining of the last lap.

Tall, confident, this year races for Spanish team Telcom Gimex. Brożyna rode alongside his teammate Jakub Kaczmarek, doing his level best to leave Sobótka with podium position. Their attacks succeeded with 3,5 km to go and tall rider from Kielce sailed to the finish line. Victory in Sobótka is his biggest success, more importantly, in the first year in U23 racing.

I made a lot of mistakes last year. This year I applied myself to training and it paid off. We launched attacks in the final. Kuba [Kaczmarek] was watched very closely by other riders and when they caught him, I countered. Nobody followed so I rode last 3 kilometers alone

– Brożyna said minutes after crossing the line.

TKK Pacific Toruń’s Wojciech Franczak took silver and Tomasz Mickiewicz (ActiveJet Team) sprinted to third place, making race speaker a little nostalgic. Both Brożyna and Mickiewicz come from families with long cycling traditions – Piotr is a son of Tomasz Brożyna, Route du Sud (2000) winner and Polish National champion (1998). Tomasz’s father – Jacek – won national road race title in 1994, as well as five Peace Race and two Milk Race stages.

We race in Spain, there are plenty of races there. The route was perfect for me – this year I have had over 30 racing days, none of them was flat, believe me

– new champion laughed.

Results:

 1. Piotr Brożyna (Telcom Gimex)                        4:16:31
 2. Wojciech Franczak (TKK Pacific Toruń)                 00:48
 3. Tomasz Mickiewicz (ActiveJet Team)
 4. Jakub Kaczmarek (Telcom Gimex)                        00:49
 5. Jakub Foltyn (KS Mostostal Puławy)                    00:52
 6. Barotsz Pilis (Mexller)                               02:31
 7. Gracjan Szeląg (KK Tarnovia Tarnowo Podgórne)         02:32
 8. Mateusz Kazimierczak (KS Pogoń Mostostal Puławy)
 9. Eryk Latonń (BDC MarcPol)                             02:33
10. Bartosz Zając (TC Chrobry Głogów)                     02:45

FULL RESULTS

Junior men

Kamil Zawistowski sprinted to the victory in junior men race, winning the finish from 19-riders group that formed at halfway point of 132km race.

Zawistowski found himself in a breakaway of 7 after three laps. In spite of the fact that the group was later caught by chasing pack and shattered on the climb, bunch sprint was to decide the fate of the national jersey. It was Zawistowski’s lucky day. His “shut up legs” socks gave him power he needed at the finish, as he managed to hold off Kamil Małecki and time trial bronze medallist Damian Sławek.

I promised myself that I cannot wait till the end, as I did last year. I had to make my move, I wasn’t feeling great, but in the final I decided to go full gas. It was enough to win and I am very happy with my performance today

– Zawistowski said after the race.

Results:

1. Kamil Zawistowski (GK Opty Mazowsze Grodzisk Mazowiecki) 3:27:07 2. Kamil Małecki (MLKS Baszta Bytów) 3. Damian Sławek (LKS Pom Strzelce Krajeńskie) 4. Norbert Banaszek (BDC NOSiR Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki) 5. Patryk Soliński (GKK Opty-Mazowsze Grodzisk Mazowiecki) 00:01 6. Mateusz Gąsiorowski (ALKS Stal Ocetix Iglotex Grudziądz) 00:02 7. Kamil Zajączkowski (CWKS Resovia Rzeszów) 00:04 8. Dawid Gieracki (KS Ślęża Mat Sobótka) 00:05 9. Patryk Górecki (Ks Dazar Olimpic Piaseczno) 00:06 10. Stanisław Aniołowski (BDC NOSiR Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki)

FULL RESULTS

Junior women

Marta Lach proved to be the best in junior women ranks, as she outsprinted Agnieszka Skalniak and Nikol Płosaj in the final of 66km race. 17-year-old animated the race, organizing a break of 8 and resisting the dominance of riders from BCM Nowatex Ziemia Darłowska.

Agnieszka Skalniak took silver and junior women time-trial bronze medallist Nikol Płosaj secured bronze.

I like climbing, I like when the road goes uphill. It’s the third year on the road for me, previously I used to ride MTB a lot

– Lach said after podium ceremony.

Results:

1. Marta Lach (UKS Sokół Kęty) 1:55:28 2. Agnieszka Skalniak (KK Tramwajarz Łódź) 3. Nikol Płosaj (UKS Jedynka Limaro Kórnik) 00:01 4. Daria Pikulik (BCM Nowatex Ziemia Darłowska) 00:03 5. Monika Graczewska (JF Duet BCM Nowatex Goleniów) 00:06 6. Weronika Humelt (UKS Jedynka Limaro Kórnik) 00:08 7. Agata Drozdek (BCM Nowatex Ziemia Darłowska) 00:20 8. Weronika Lorkowska (JF Duet BCM Nowatex Goleniów) 01:15 9. Dorota Przęzak (LKS Atom Boxmet Dzierżoniów) 02:45 10. Gabriela Wojtyła (UKS Godman Sokół Zator) 02:48

FULL RESULTS