There are places in Poland that practically beg to be ridden by bike. Places where the asphalt winds between mountains or lakes, where every turn reveals a new view and every climb tests your character. This year’s ORLEN Lang Team Race series is exactly such a journey through three worlds – the wild Bieszczady, cycling-focused Podhale, and the rolling entity Kaszuby.
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16 May – ORLEN Lang Team Race Hotel Arłamów
8 August – ORLEN Tour de Pologne Amateurs BUKOVINA Resort – Ryszard Szurkowski Memorial
19 September – ORLEN Lang Team Race Bytów
Arłamów – where only the hum of tires breaks the silence
The season begins in a place that seems made for cyclists. Arłamów is not just a point on the map of the Bieszczady, but above all a space – wide, green, and immersed in natural beauty. The roads twist as if designed for road bikes, and car traffic is lighter than almost anywhere else in the country.
Towering above it all is Hotel Arłamów – today a modern sports complex, once a heavily guarded government resort. The history of this place is almost as remarkable as the surrounding landscapes. Today, instead of politicians, athletes come here, and the local climbs are already well known to participants of previous editions of the race.
Riding here pulls you in from the first meters. Forest presses right up to the asphalt, views open suddenly, and the silence is so deep you can hear your own breathing. It is the perfect place to start the cycling season – demanding, yet giving a sense of freedom hard to find elsewhere.
Bukowina Tatrzańska – the place of final decisions
If Arłamów is wild, Bukowina Tatrzańska is ruthlessly cycling-focused. There are no accidental climbs here – each has its legend, each can hurt. In August, amateurs will face a route that for years has decided the fate of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour.
The event base is BUKOVINA Resort – a place perfectly known to cyclists. From here it is closest to the famous “walls” that can verify even the best-prepared riders. Gliczarów, Wierch Rusiński, Harnaś – these names are spoken in the cycling world with a mix of respect and fascination.
This race is also special because, held as the Ryszard Szurkowski Memorial, it recalls the history of Polish cycling and its greatest heroes. At the same time, it lets everyone feel for a moment like a professional racing in the national tour. In the morning you can tackle the same course on which, in the afternoon, the world’s best cyclists will compete.
In August, Bukowina lives on bicycles. Crowds line the climbs, the sound of wheels fills the descents, and the air carries the atmosphere of a great cycling festival.
Bytów – a Kashubian story for the finale
Finally, the peloton moves north to Bytów – a place that surprises anyone who thinks Pomerania is flat. The Kaszuby roll constantly, climbs appear suddenly and vanish just as quickly, and the riding rhythm allows no moment of distraction.
Dominating the town is the mighty Zamek w Bytowie, a reminder that the history of these lands is as rich as the landscape. Routes lead through lakes, forests, and small towns where time moves more slowly and fans cheer from their home gardens.
The finale in Bytów has something symbolic about it. After mountain struggles comes a stage demanding cleverness, dynamism, and strength to the very end. It is completely different cycling – less heroic, more tactical, but just as exciting.
A journey, not just a race
ORLEN Lang Team Race is not an ordinary series of starts. It is a journey through three faces of Poland and three ways of experiencing cycling. From Bieszczady silence, through Tatra walls, to Kashubian hills – everyone will find something here that stays with them long after crossing the finish line.
“Cycling is not only competition – it is adventure and a test of yourself. I invite everyone who wants to feel the emotions of racing – regardless of experience. Get on your bikes and see you at the start!” encourages Czesław Lang.
