2023 Race Through Poland : Event Recap

Words by Bradley Woodruffe, photos by Bite of Me

The Race Through Poland is a 1,500-kilometre all-road, self-supported bikepacking race that mainly traverses Poland, but this year, it also extended into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The race has four parcours (sections of the set route) that riders must follow, but it’s a free route in between, with the only rule being that riders must avoid national roads for more than one kilometre. This rule encourages people to take the road less traveled.

• 
• 
• 

• 
• 

I had lofty ambitions entering the event, hoping to finish in the front, but I was also aware of my limited experience in the high mountains and with this level of competition. My goal was to leave it all out there, push my boundaries, and learn as much as possible along the way.

The race began and ended at Mountain Hotel PTTK Barania Góra, Przysłop, where I spent the days leading up to the race finalizing my route plan and resting. My calm demeanour at the start soon dissipated when the front riders set an incredible pace, pushing my heart rate up to 198 within the first 30 minutes. Only 1,450 kilometres to go! The sun was setting on the way to CP1, 97 kilometres into the race, providing a beautiful start.

I left CP1 in sixth place, following a long descent and then a few hundred kilometres of undulating terrain through the first night. Fresh legs and the thrill of riding on new roads made the night pass smoothly. Once the early morning fog lifted, I found myself in the Czech Republic, riding through blissfully beautiful landscapes. This serenity, however, was soon to be followed by the toughest part of the route.

By mid-afternoon, the temperature rose above 25°C (77°F). As a Brit, I was unprepared for such heat, and when we reached Parcour 2, I hit both a literal and mental wall. Philip, another rider, and I switched positions at this point, sharing the struggle. The final climb to the checkpoint, a grueling 7 kilometres with an average incline of 12% and sections exceeding 20%, took us to the snowy peaks of Luční hora at 1,500 metres up. I had estimated a completion time of four hours for the 80-kilometre parcour, but in reality it took nearly six.

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

This segment was followed by a few hundred kilometres of rolling terrain as we moved into the second night. The thrill of the race had worn off, and my legs were no longer fresh. Time seemed to stand still, and I fell into the trap of constantly checking my Garmin, only exacerbating my feelings of exhaustion. Instead of avoiding the issue, I turned off my screen and attempted to remain present, absorbing my surroundings and settling into a rhythm.

At 4:30 am, 36 hours and roughly 750 kilometres into the race, I reached my next refueling point. By this time, I was second on the road, the only rider from the chasing group who had ridden through the night. I knew I needed sleep, but I was determined to test my limits, so I set an alarm for a 20-minute nap in the petrol station. Upon waking, I felt refreshed and set off into a perfect sunrise for a 260-kilometres stint before my next planned stop. Despite the intense riding, I was in my element, holding my position, and enjoying the stunning Czech roads.

Unfortunately, routing issues about 50 kilometres from my next stop bumped me back to third place. This setback, coupled with exhaustion, led to rushed and panicked riding, which culminated in a large puncture on an off-road detour to avoid a national road. In my haste, I wasted my two CO2 cartridges and realized too late that I hadn’t replaced my ultralight road tubes, which exploded before filling the gap in my wide rim and 32mm tire combo. Ten minutes of flapping had taken me out of the race, 1,000 kilometres and 48 hours in.

• 
• 

This setback led to a lot of reflection during a 10-kilometre walk to the nearest village. I had been preparing for this event for over nine months, dedicating countless hours to training and planning. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but these challenging moments are often the best teachers. I realized that inexperience and overthinking had caused my mistakes, so I resolved to remain calm under pressure in the future and take a few minutes to ground myself and make better decisions.

The following day, after a much-needed rest and tyre repair, I set off again with a renewed spirit, determined to enjoy the final 500 kilometres and continue pushing my limits. Despite losing 17 hours and dropping 20 places due to the tyre incident, I was on a mission. The third parcour offered some truly awesome riding, especially after a solid eight hours of sleep.

Before the night came, so did the rain, which, oddly, was a high point for me. I had packed much cold-weather gear in anticipation of the mountain chill and hadn’t needed it until this point. It was strangely gratifying to ride through the torrential rain at night, knowing how far I’d carried this gear.

However, the continuous rain for the next four hours didn’t bother me as much as the effects of not eating enough. This took a toll, and I struggled to maintain a decent pace in the early hours. I used my emergency bivvy in a roadside bus stop for another 20-minute nap, which provided just enough energy for a few more hours.

• 
• 
• 

• 
• 

The sun rose as I reached Slovakia and the Carpathian Mountains, where CP4 awaited at 1,670 metres. Despite the brutal climb, the mountain hotel, nestled next to a lake and surrounded by towering peaks, was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen from a bike. Although I was reluctant to leave, the finish line, just 200 kilometres away, called me onwards.

As I crossed the border back into Poland for the final stretch, I found a second wind. I had solidified my 15th place overall, recovering seven places from the tyre incident. The lead-up to the last parcour was an exhilarating flow, and the maze of hills in the last 30 kilometres allowed me time to reflect on the past few days. My Di2 died near the end, adding an interesting challenge to the climbs, but my legs powered through.

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Upon reaching the finish line in the early hours, I was warmly greeted by Piko, the legendary organizer, some of the media crew, and the three riders I had been chasing all day. We shared laughter and stories, with them recounting a three-way sprint to the finish line, which I found absolutely hilarious.

Looking back, the Race Through Poland was an incredible experience. The parcours were epic, and the rest was pure adventure. I’m proud of my performance, and feel that I achieved my goals, but there’s a lingering sense of unfinished business. I look forward to what Pawel has planned for next year’s race.

2023 Race Through Poland Results

• 1st: Adam Bialek (77 hours and 23 minutes)
• 2nd: Martin Haubold (80 hours and minutes)
• 3rd: Krystian Jakubek (83 hours and minutes)

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.