Polish press are all over this race with the big news of the Polish based Orlen Cycling team gaining a licence in the pro peleton. Looking at the small field of 10 riders here there is no doubt that the nation could with a cash injection with none of the favourites currently in protour teams. That could even change next year as Gp Montreal winner Krzysztof Szczawinski of Milka helped his team to promotion. Though there are some rumours that Milka are listening to transfer offers for him.
Youtube's late application and demise from the Continental division will mean that Przemyslaw Niemiec is up for grabs and Polish champion encumbent Piotr Mazur's Lego team (next year Bianchi) just missed out on promotion.
The parcours here are fairly lumpy:
meaning Niemec a decent all rounder, is given the favourites tag, however he and the two other riders mentioned find themselves behind early as four riders drift away in Marycz (Tinkoff), Szaniawski, Bodnar (Poland) and Kwiatkowski (Milka).
These four build up a good lead and Niemec marked by Szczawinski move away from the other four including the Yamaha duo Rutkiewicz and Lejman. They are with Lego's Piotr Mazur and the control rider, these four are quickly distanced.
So this leaves the four out front with Niemex chasing with the Milka man in tow. With 80 to go the gap is 2.55 between the four and the two.
The front four are joined by the chasers with 50km to go.
The final two laps are marked by constant attacks from Bodnar - a rare novelty of seeing control colours attacking.
However Niemec is really on a mission and reels him in with the ever watchful shadow of Szczawinski.
Bodnar has wasted all his energy on these attacks and falls away from these two but Niemec try as he might cannot rid himself of the far better sprinter in Szczawinski.
In what seems like one of those long distance running races Neimec tows the Milka up to that 2.5km to go point. Initially Niemec resist the inevitable!
But it is to no avail as Szczawinski adds takes the national title.
In the Time Trial it was very much a case of current champion and one of the key men in the road race Przemyslaw Niemiec vs the Lego rider, former RR champion and a man who had taken a day off at the roads Piotr Mazur.
It was a close run thing with Mazur just shading the now free agent Niemec at the first check. But the ex-Youtube man had shown that all round stage racing power by the second check.
...and Niemec manages to retain his national TT championships.
