WORLD CHAMPIONS 2024 AND BEYOND - MEET SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE RACE AROUND POLAND 2024 - PART TWO

A few days ago [link] we introduced you to the contenders on the start list for the titles of Female and Male World Champions preparing to compete in the most traditional of ultracycling championship categories - solo with support.

As we have already informed you, the 2024 World Ultra Cycling Championships will also be unique in that, for the first time, it will also be possible to compete for the title conferred by the World Ultra Cycling Association in the unsupported solo category, which means that access to competition for the highest laurels in long-distance cycling will also be gained by extremely talented and strong riders, including Poles, practising this variety of the sport exclusively.

As was the case last year, for categories with support, the 2024 World Championships will be held over the full distance of 3,600 km for unsupported riders. World Champion statues will be awarded to athletes divided into categories under and over 50 years of age.

As a reminder, according to the regulations, in the "solo unsupported" category, the participant covers the route alone, without the possibility of assistance or cooperation from other participants, or members of their teams. During the Race, he/she may use stationary organised or incidental assistance from outsiders. He may not use organised mobile assistance in any form.

In this material we would like to introduce the profiles of the contenders for the titles of the first ever WUCA World Champions in the unsupported solo category. There are many great athletes on the entry list in this category, including true RAP veterans and some of our country's most recognisable ultrasport figures. Who among them will raise their hands in a triumphant gesture at the finish line in Warsaw?

Jarosław Kedziorek and Robert Woźniak

The incomparable tandem of Jaroslaw "Courier" Kedziorek and Robert Wozniak will once again be on the start line in Obórki! They are true RAP veterans, each having competed in the race a total of three times (in 2021 Jarek competed in tandem with Patrycja Kuter) with great success. Jarek won the unsupported category in 2021 ahead of Kamil "Cyclokot" Kotkowski at the finish line, while Robert finished third twice.

Steff Wagner

In 2024 we will again welcome Austrian representative Steff Wagner, who in 2023 narrowly succumbed to phenomenal category winner Krystian Jakubek from Poland and checked in at the finish line in a time of 202:39:40. In Krystian's absence, will he reach for the Championship this year?

Aleš Vaníček

Another athlete we will have the pleasure of hosting again is Aleš Vaníček, a Czech representative, local government and organiser of ultra events in his country. We remember him, among other things, from the battle he fought with equipment failures in the 2022 edition, which eventually buried his hopes of completing the full RAP loop. We hope that fate will be kinder to him in 2024.

Piotr Kuryło

Among the contenders for the World Ultracycling Championships, there is also a special person on the entry list - this is Piotr Kuryło, whose name has so far not been associated with ultracycling, although he is an ultra-athlete with an impressive track record!

Piotr Kuryło is a figure whose achievements would fill many texts, so perhaps we will devote a separate article to him in the future to give more details of his profile, but in the meantime we will only mention that:

In 2011, he ran around the globe (through Europe, the USA and Russia - a total of about 20,000 km!);

He participated four times in the Spartathlon - a real marathon run of 246 km from Athens to Sparta, and in 2007 he took 2nd place, succumbing only to the legendary US ultra-runner Scott Jurek;

He also ran through Poland from east to west, north to south, ran from Augustow in Poland to Greece, from Fatima in Portugal to Studzieniczna in Poland, and these are just some of his exploits!

Andrzej Tercjak, Jonas Majerski and Kazimierz Kosiński

All three men completed the full 3600km distance riding solo without support in 2023, with Andrzej Tercjak checking in at the finish line in fourth place, surrendering third place and the podium only to the extremely fast and much younger Cezary Wójcik. Jonas Majerski, an American living in the KSA with relatives on Poland, finished the race in 12th place.

Łukasz Łapa and Justyna Krygier

Łukasz Łapa, after taking a very good 2nd place in the ½ RAP distance with a finish in Szklarska Poręba, whetted his appetite in the 2024 edition and decided to tackle the full distance, thus taking part in the World Championships for the first time. We also welcome back Justyne Krygier, a participant in previous editions.

Photo: Andrzej Seta (Robert Woźniak and Jarosław Kędziorek after finish ceremony on RAP 2023)