Tomasz Marczyński makes it three in Sobótka

31-year-old stroms to third national title in Sobotka ahead of Gołaś and Bernas.

Tomasz Marczyński claimed his third national road race title winning Poland’s championships in Sobotka, Lower Silesia. Torku Sekerspor rider spent all day in the breakaway and in the finale outsprinted Michał Gołaś (Etixx-Quick Step) and Paweł Bernas (ActiveJet Team) in the dash for the line.

“This is the most valuable of my three titles” – Marczyński said in tears after crossing the line. “I knew the early move may make it all the way through, so I stayed focused all the time. We all worked well together and I felt quite well in the end, so I attacked.”

Marczyński has previously won national title on the road in 2007 and made a double in 2011, winning jerseys in both time-trial and road race. Polish rider, 13th in 2012 Vuelta a Espana, now races for continental outfit Torku Sekerspor, having left CCC Sprandi Polkowice after one year marked by injuries and lack of results.

“I trained at the altitude recently, I wasn’t sure about my legs and conditions. This year is very important for me and to win the white-red jersey is a great honour” – 31-year-old stressed.

Marczyński, victorious in minor races such as Tour of Black Sea and Tour du Maroc this year, was a part of a breakaway of 15 that formed on the second lap of a 234km race. Riding in green jersey of Torku Sekerspor he managed to stay at the front despite furious counter attacks launched from behind by Rafał Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Karol Domagalski (Team Raleigh).

“I had something to prove. Polish cycling made a huge step in recent years, I’m over the moon to win against riders such as Gołaś, Majka or Kwiatkowski” – he said at post-race conference.

Majka missed the original break and was forced to chase hard for a number of laps, closing down the gap of over two minutes. The junction was made just before the last lap but Tinkoff-Saxo climber was unable to respond when the attacks shattered the front group.

Bernas, Gołaś, Marczyński, Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18) and Marek Rutkiewicz (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) managed to drop the rest of the field and battled for podium positions in the sprint on an uphill finish in Sobotka.

Gołaś, national road race champion from 2012, was the first to kick off the racing at the first lap of the race but failed to fence off Marczyński in the final sprint.

“Silver medal is nice but I’m a little bit disappointed, I believed I can win this one and take the jersey to the Tour de France. Marczyński was really strong” – Gołaś said.

Paweł Bernas of continental team ActiveJet took third, marking another good result this year for ambitious Polish outfit. Having won Szlakiem Grodow Piastowskich (2.2) and Volta ao Alentejo (2.2) earlier this year Bernas secured bronze, adding one more national championships medal to silver and bronze won by his teammates last year.

“Third place is a good start to my career” – 25-year-old said. “This is my third national road race in elite ranks, I was never close to the best, so I’m happy to finish on the podium.”

picture credit: Łukasz Huzarski