Omega Pharma Quickstep rider Petr Vakoc stays clear to win stage and take the leader’s jersey in Tour of Poland
![]() |
Tour of Poland – Vakoc Shocks the Peloton
NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
First UCI WorldTour Victory of Young Career
Petr Vakoc received a big reward for his risk on the 226km Tour de Poland Stage 2 on Monday. The young Czech rider, in his first year as a professional, decided to go solo out of an original three rider breakaway with about 25 kilometres left to race. His gamble on the peloton not taking up the chase in time to catch him was a successful one. He won with enough of an advantage to also put on the leader’s jersey with a 27″ advantage.
Picture: OPQS/Tim De Waele
The peloton realized Vakoc’s advantage was substantial, and a big threat to the general classification, inside 10km to go. By then, Vakoc was riding strong with a two minute advantage. Though teams chased hard in the final kilometers, he still crossed the line 21″ ahead of the field with a smile on his face.
Vakoc, who is also an Economics student at University of Prague, won the University Road and Time Trial Championships earlier this season. “Being UCI WorldTour, this is a big race, so to win solo like this is unbelievable,” Vakoc said. “The toughest moment was when we started the finishing circuit. The gap was falling fast and my legs started to tire a bit”.
“Then with five kilometers to go it started to get really hard but I just gave it everything for those last five kilometers. I didn’t think about anything other than use every ounce of energy that I had. It’s a beautiful moment for me. I didn’t expect it, and it seems neither did the peloton. When the three of us went away and had a gap at first I wasn’t so sure about my decision, but then I thought maybe if the gap kept going up and I save enough energy in the final kilometres, I can try to go alone”.
Picture: OPQS/Tim De Waele
“I was thinking about it, to try and have some energy left to win a stage. It’s a great feeling to have this effort pay off and earn my first UCI WorldTour victory of my career here in Poland. It seems Poland brings me luck as both of my University Championship victories also happened here a few weeks ago. I like racing in Poland. Now, I’d like to fight to keep the jersey as long as I can. It will be hard, but I will fight and I know my teammates will fight with me.”
“We will see in the coming days. I’m a young student on and off and the bike and this will be an opportunity to learn in the best way possible. I’d like to thank OPQS for giving me a chance today, and at Tour de Pologne, in this jersey that I am so proud to wear.”
Note: Stephen Cummings was 100th, Ben Swift 155, Joshua Edmondson 157.
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- Features, Reports, Results
- CX Result: NWCCA Season Finale
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (Velopark) 14
- Crit Results: LVYCC Winter Races 2
- Track Result: First Division Manchester Track League
- Crit Result: Velo29 Winter Series #4
- Crit Result: Abingdon Race Team Winter Series 1
- CX Result: Western CX #11 (ShamCross)
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League 12
- Q&A with young organiser James Hawkins
- Q&A: Erin Murphy (Alba Dev Road Team)
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series 4
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series 3
- Crit Result: Velo29 Winter Series 3
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League #4
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (LVVP #13)
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (Hillingdon #6)
- CX Result: NWCCA CX League Round 9
- CX Result: London/SE CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex CX League Rd 13
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League 11
- CX Result: East Kent CX League 5
- British Track Championships: Day 3 Report
- Track Results: British Track Championhip Results (para)
- Track Results: British Track Championship Results (M)
- Track Result: British Track Championships Results (W)
- British Track Championships: Day 2 Report
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- Team Feature: Sam Watson’s Journey to WorldTour
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
- Team News: MAS Design – Fensham Howes Junior Team
- 2022/2023 National Trophy Cyclocross Series Final Standings
Other News on VeloUK
- Q&A with young organiser James Hawkins
- Q&A: Erin Murphy (Alba Dev Road Team)
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
- Team News: MAS Design – Fensham Howes Junior Team
- EVENTS: The Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield
- TEAM NEWS: Kalas Motip Race Team for 2023
- Team News: Rotor UK Sponsor Team AT85
- Q&A: Vicky Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- British Track Championships Jan 26-29
- Event News: Midlands handicap league returns in 2023
- News: Alba DRT Riders Inspired to Step Up
- Race Dates: Track Events 2023
- News: Santini Cycling UK
- News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT Report
- Events: Velo Club St Raphael Time Trial
- Startlist: British Cyclocross Championships 2023
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023
- News: Brother UK Continues to Sponsor Cycling
- Dave Rayner Fund Supported Riders
- Event news: British Team Cup
- National Trophy: Final Round, Cyclopark
- News: Pedal Club December Lunch Report
- Team News: Velo Bavarian Race Team 2023
- 2023 British teams – Richardson’s Trek
- Team News: 26th Year for Arctic-Aircon RT
- Event News: British Masters RR Champs
- News: West Midlands RR Calendar
- Team News: New cycling team in Central Region
- News: UCI World Masters Track Championships
- 2023: National Under 23, Youth & Junior Road Series
- National Trophy Cyclocross Round 5: Startlist