Pepijn Reinderink animates the closing kilometers of the day.
Karpacz, the idyllic spa town located not far from the border to the Czech Republic, returned at the Tour de Pologne for the second year in a row. Coming at the end of the opening stage, the uphill finish was an explosive one, as the ramps of the unranked climb were perfect for those who wanted to try an attack from afar.
Soudal Quick-Step neo-pro Pepijn Reinderink was the first to show his hand, launching a powerful acceleration just as the last rider of the breakaway was caught. The former U23 Dutch Champion tapped out a strong rhythm that allowed him to stay at the front until two kilometers to go, when the others came back. More moves came, but in the end the winner emerged only in the last 200 meters, when Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) emerged victorious.
The Tour de Pologne continues Tuesday with another hard stage, an uphill individual time trial finishing again in Karpacz, where the gaps between the GC riders should be bigger than those created on the first day.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
