Hutarovich wins stormy Tour de Pologne opener

Belarusian Yauheni Hutarovich wins the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne in Bydgoszcz. Photo: PAP/Tytus Zmijewski

Several riders crashed as rain, hail and harsh winds lashed contestants in the latter part of the 226km stage from Gdansk to Bydgoszcz.

“I have to thank my team [AG2R La Mondiale] for putting me in the best position possible to contest the sprint,” Hutarovich said after wrapping up the stage.

“Today we had incredible weather: hot, wind, then rain and hail - basically everything.”

Hutarovich, who has Polish roots, says he feels at home on the race.

“My grandmother, grandfather and father are Poles, so you can say that I am half-Polish,” he said during a previous appearance in the event.

Riders run into trouble in the first stage of the Tour de Pologne in Bydgoszcz. Photo: PAP/Tytus Zmijewski

Hopes remain that Tour de France star Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) will pull something out the bag in the second leg.

Majka, who won the gruelling mountain classification in the French race a week ago is currently 26th in the general classification.

The highest placed Pole after stage 1 is Maciej Paterski (CCC Polsat Polkowice) in fourth, while his team-mate Grzegorz Stepniak is 13th. (nh)

Source: tourdepologne.pl, IAR