Press Release I: The IV World Ultra Cycling Championships Are Coming Soon

Warsaw, Poland – On the starting lists of Race Around Poland, competitors from over a dozen countries and three continents!

Warsaw, Poland – On June 27, 2026, the IV World Ultra Cycling Championships of the World Ultra Cycling Association (WUCA) in the unsupported format will start in Warsaw. The World Championships will be held for the fourth consecutive time during Race Around Poland – the longest and most challenging ultra-cycling race in Poland, where cyclists must face a route of over 3,600 km and over 31,000 meters of elevation gain, passing through the most beautiful corners of the country, which they must complete within a time limit of 12 days. This prestigious event will once again gather the best ultra-cyclists in the world, who will compete for the World Champion trophy and jersey on the crown distance of 3,600 km in the solo unsupported category, where the competitor is entirely on their own throughout the entire race course.

It is worth noting that the World Ultra Cycling Championships during Race Around Poland has been a historic event since its first edition – never before have competitions of this rank in road cycling been held in Poland! However, Race Around Poland is not only about the longest distance but also includes ½ RAP (1,800 km – finish in Grudza near Szklarska Poręba), ¼ RAP (900 km – finish at the Checkpoint located at the Eco Active Resort Pieniny Hotel in Czorsztyn), and a "sprint" distance of 300 km with a turnaround in Czemierniki and a finish in Warsaw.

Record-Breaking Edition

The race will start on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from Warsaw – traditionally on the last weekend of June. The start and finish will once again be located in Wilanów, in cooperation with the Warsaw Wilanów District. The starting lists already show a record number of participants – over 94 competitors from 13 countries across three continents: Europe, Asia, and North America.

Compared to the previous edition, in which 66 people participated, this year's edition brings an increase in the number of participants by over 40%. The starting list includes titled competitors from around the world, including Ingolf Micklisch from the USA, Robert Woźniak, Jarosław Kędziorek, Marek Rupiński, Damian Pazikowski, Piotr Mos, and Gosia Warelich. The average age of competitors is 45 years.

Particularly dynamic growth has been recorded among participants from India – from 3 competitors in 2025 to 7 in the 2026 edition (+133%), including TEAM GRIFFIN.

Countries represented in the 2026 edition include: Poland, India, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Finland, USA, Austria, Italy, Serbia, United Kingdom, Croatia, and the United Arab Emirates. New countries in the 2026 edition, not present in the previous year, are Serbia, Croatia, United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

Route and Challenges

The route passes through 12 of Poland's 16 voivodeships, running along the country's borders. Competitors ride day and night, without stages – only the time from start to finish counts.

The most demanding sections of the route are the mountains – from the Bieszczady to the Karkonosze. The challenges that competitors face include sleep deprivation, weather, and loneliness. The course record from the previous edition is 6 days, 5 hours, 33 minutes, and 42 seconds. Starting categories include: Solo Unsupported, Solo Supported, and Team (2- and 4-person relays).

Organizer's Comment

"The 2026 edition is a special moment for us – not only because of the record number of participants but above all because of the growing international interest in our event. The fact that cyclists from thirteen countries and three continents come to Poland shows that Race Around Poland has become a recognizable and valued brand in world ultra-cycling. We are particularly pleased with the dynamic increase in participants from India – from three last year to seven this year – which shows that information about our race is reaching further and further.

We have already seen that the achievements of competitors from this country have attracted great media interest in this nation of 1.4 billion people, and it is already clear that this year's edition will have an even greater impact there. Our goal from the beginning was to create an event that would not only be a top-class sporting challenge but would also show the world the beauty of Polish landscapes and the hospitality of our country. We see that we are succeeding, and this motivates us to continue working!" – said Mateusz Przygodzki, President of the Board of the Race Around Poland Foundation.

"Race Around Poland is a race that does not forgive mistakes. 3,600 kilometers and over 31,000 meters of elevation gain within a 12-day limit – these parameters place our race among the most difficult ultra-cycling events in Europe.

This year, a true elite will be at the start – from the 2024 WUCA Cup winner Marek Rupiński, titled American Ingolf Micklisch, who completed Race Across America and this year won his category in the elite race in Sebring, Polish Ultra Cycling Champion Andrzej Tercjak, through veterans of Polish ultra-cycling Robert Woźniak and Jarosław Kędziorek, to new faces ready to fight for championship jerseys. The most demanding sections of the route are the mountains – from the rugged Bieszczady to the Karkonosze – where competitors must face not only elevation gains but also loneliness and the fight with their own bodies in the face of sleep deprivation. It is precisely in the mountains where the fate of the competition is decided. The current course record is 6 days, 5 hours, 33 minutes, and 42 seconds – I am curious whether anyone will attempt to break it!" – said Remigiusz Siudziński, Race Director, Board Member of the Race Around Poland Foundation, and the first Pole to complete Race Across America in the solo category.

Qualification for Race Across America

It is worth mentioning that Race Around Poland is not only the World Ultra Cycling Championships but also a qualifying race for one of the most prestigious ultra-cycling events in the world – Race Across America (RAAM), during which competitors traverse the USA from the west to the east coast, covering a total of 4,800 km within a time limit of 12 days. Race Around Poland is also part of the WUCA calendar, including the WUCA World Cup.

Registration and Race Tracking

We invite competitors to register – lower entry fees apply until the end of February. Fans will be able to track the current position of competitors for 12 days using the dotwatching platform provided by the organizer on the website: www.racearoundpoland.pl and through RAP social media.

The race will once again be organized with a charitable component in cooperation with Filipowe Kilometry. This is an event that combines a sporting dimension with a charitable one – for years, the organizers have been helping to spread awareness about autism, allocating significant funds calculated based on the kilometers covered by participants.

The hotel partner of the race is once again Arche Puławska. Among the bicycle brands supporting the event are: Bikeway, Roadbike, and Bike Atelier Wilanów. The sponsor is Infinity Bike Seats – a manufacturer of long-distance saddles. The Masovian Regional Tourism Organization is also a partner. The full list of sponsors and partners will be announced soon.

We invite all cycling enthusiasts and endurance sports fans to join us and cheer on the competitors during this unique event. This is a unique opportunity to witness an amazing display of endurance, skill, and determination.

Contact Information

For more information, visit www.racearoundpoland.pl or contact us by email: race@racearoundpoland.pl, or by phone:

Remigiusz Siudziński – Race Director, Board Member of the Race Around Poland Foundation: +48 501 584 669

Mateusz Przygodzki – President of the Board of the Race Around Poland Foundation: +48 603 05 40 90

Media Partners

Naszemiasto.pl, naszosie.pl, Tur de Tur, TVP 3 Warszawa

Event Partners

ABR Sesta, Bikeway.pl, Bike Atelier Warszawa, Cień PRL'u, Dzielnica Warszawa Wilanów, Eco Active Resort Pieniny, Filipowe Kilometry, Gmina Czemierniki, Gmina Mircze, Gmina Narewka, Grudza 83 Bike Point, Infinity Bike Seat, Kopalnia Złota w Złotym Stoku, Mazowiecka Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna, Resort Mielenko, Roadbike, World Ultra Cycling Association (WUCA)