The final round of the ORLEN Lang Team Race took place in Bytów in a fantastic cycling atmosphere. The hometown of Czesław Lang welcomed amateur cyclists competing over two distances. The competition was accompanied by the Family Race and Parade In the Footsteps of Czesław Lang, held under the Patronage of Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
As tradition goes, the season finale of the ORLEN Lang Team Race was once again staged in Bytów – Czesław Lang’s hometown. The competition in the last of the three prestigious series events drew hundreds of amateur cyclists to the scenic Kashubian routes, where they raced over two distances – Maxi and Mini.
In the men’s OPEN category over the longer, 108 km route, Mariusz Kamiński (Reprezentacja Policji) took the win, outsprinting Michał Błażejewski and Bernard Wojnasa (both MPCC Team Inżynieria Ferrbud). In the women’s field, Sonia Cięciel (MPCC Team Inżynieria Ferrbud) claimed victory ahead of Kamila Wójcikiewicz-Płotkowiak (Agrochest Team) and Agata Świątek (KK Rzepnica).
On the shorter 41 km course, Patryk Badura (Michelin Aldo Team) came out on top, followed by Abdallah Si Bayh (Michelin Aldo Team) and Łukasz Janic (Protour Racing Team). In the women’s open category, the podium was completed by Anna Wójcińska, Monika Bryłowska (KSC Bravo Kartuzy), and Monika Kasica-Smolnicka (RehaSprint Straszyn). Riders on both distances were also ranked in their respective age categories.
The festive cycling atmosphere in Bytów was created not only by the ORLEN Lang Team Race itself, but also by the accompanying events – the Race and Family Parade In the Footsteps of Czesław Lang” under the Honorary Patronage of Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. In the youth race, the winner was Wiktor Bira, followed by Zuzanna Brytan (GKS Cartusia w Kartuzach Bike Atelier) and Piotr Zagdan (MLKS Baszta Bytów).
– It was a wonderful cycling celebration here in Bytów. This is my hometown, where the Baszta Bytów club was and still is, and where I started my career. The start venue – the Bytów stadium – is where my love for the bike began. I competed in the Little Peace Race on my mother’s step-through bike, joined the club with coach Euzebiusz Marciniak, and from there went out into the world: first Legia Warszawa, then the professional peloton, two Olympic Games and many major races. That’s why I return here with great sentiment, organising the ORLEN Lang Team Race for more than 500 amateur riders, as well as the Parade and Race in the Footsteps of Czesław Lang. There is growing interest and more and more participants every year. It was a day full of happiness, beautiful weather, and no crashes – everyone was satisfied. This was the perfect conclusion to the ORLEN Lang Team Race series,” said Czesław Lang, General Director of Lang Team, who also summed up the entire series.
– This year, the series consisted of three events. The first one took place in Arłamów during the ORLEN Nations Grand Prix, with a very exciting route and a big turnout. Then came the ORLEN Tour de Pologne Amateurs – the Ryszard Szurkowski Memorial – with over 2,000 riders taking part. And yesterday we had the grand finale of the series here in Bytów,” added Czesław Lang.
The final round in Bytów also determined the overall classification winners. In the women’s ranking, Sonia Cięciel took the overall victory ahead of Marta Motylewska and Kinga Tomaszewska, while in the men’s category, the overall winner was Dawid Nytko, followed by Michał Karbowy and Adrian Stempniak.