IN ANTICIPATION OF NEW CHAMPIONS (part 1)

Just less than two months await to the start of the second World UltraCycling Championships during the fourth edition of Race Around Poland. The previous edition already provided fans of ultracycling with a huge dose of excitement, but looking at the current start list, one must admit that this year's promises to be equally, or even more exciting!

It is impossible to predict how the competition will go and who will become the World Champion in 2024. At the start of the race, which will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2024, we will see, among others:

1. the current European Champion, Swiss Isa Pulver, who has already shown that competing with the best men is not the slightest problem for her by claiming the first open place in the solo category at the legendary Race Across America (RAAM) last year, beating in this competition the first of the men, the current World Ultra Cycling Association World Cup leader, and the winner and course record holder of Race Around Denmark 2024 - Pole Marek Rupinski;
2. record holder in the "Outdoor Track 24 Hours" ride, Luxembourger Ralph "Dizzy" Diseviscourt, whose impressive list of achievements includes victory in Race Across France, Race Across Belgium, double victory in Tortour, and second place in RAAM.

Once again on the Polish asphalts we will also see, among others, a representative of Germany, the victory-hungry current Vice World Champion in ultra cycling Rainer Steinberger, about whom we have already written here. He missed the top step of the podium by a hair, or four hours, separating him from the 2023 World title winner, Swede Jimmie Ronn. We're sure he's coming to Poland with an eye on taking the statuette away from the titled Swedish representative.

Something to prove this year also has David "Riki" Rihtarić, representing Slovenia, who, after a fascinating battle, had to acknowledge the superiority of Latvian Arvis Sprude, who took third place in 2023. David is currently in great shape and a few days ago won the European Vice-Championship in the under-50 age category at Race Across Italy. We have also already presented Riki's silhouette in earlier publications.

Not without chances in this group will be representatives of Poland, including the current World Vice Champion, finishing as 7th open competitor at the 2023 Championships. - a resident of Lędziny in the Silesian Voivodeship, Aneta Lamik. 

So, will we see the triumph of the returning champions, already familiar with the local conditions and the route, or will they be reconciled by the RAP debutants? We'll see in two months!

It should be mentioned that this year will also be exceptionally interesting for the competition in the traditionally most heavily populated by Poles and Polish women in the solo unsupported category, which at the crown RAP distance - 3,600 km - this year for the FIRST TIME IN HISTORY has also been recognized by the WUCA as a championship category - so for the first time in 2024, championship statuettes will be awarded to the winners in this category as well. Given the great performances of the Poles in previous years, including the astonishing performance of Krystian Jakubek, who checked in at the finish line in a record time of slightly over 191 hours in fourth place open ahead of most of the supported male and female athletes, we believe that the Poles have a great chance to win statues in the solo unsupported category in 2024. Who will it be? We will find out soon. More about racers from this category – in the next article.

Photo: Damian Ługowski