The Tour de Pologne ended today with a time trial of 25 kilometres in Krakow. A spectacle was promised and we got one!

It became a game of seconds, as well for the stage win as for the overall victory. The Polish rider Marcin Bialoblocki was the best in the individual time trial, he was one second faster than Vasil Kiryienka. Jon Izaguirre is first in the GC and wins this Tour of Poland,  two seconds ahead on Bart De Clercq and three seconds on Ben Hermans.

Lotto Soudal is going home with one stage win, a day in the yellow jersey and a few nice places of honour. In that way, this Tour de Pologne may be considered as a success. De Clercq obtained a win in the fifth stage. Lotto Soudal is also first in the team classification.

Sports director Mario Aerts and Bart De Clercq give a review of this successful but tough week in Poland.

“Of course we are going home with a satisfied feeling. A sixth and fourth place for Kris Boeckmans, Bart De Clercq who won a stage and obtained the yellow jersey and Jurgen Van den Broeck who finishes fifth in the closing time trial. All great results where we’re really proud of as team," Aerts said.

“Yesterday, I saw a very strong team. Sander [Armee], Maxime [Monfort], Vegard [Breen] and Jurgen all did their best to surround Bart and to defend the jersey in a tough stage. It wasn’t certain what it was going to be, because for most of the riders in this race it was their first race after the training camp. But they all did more than a great job.

“I didn’t dare to dream beforehand to become second in this Tour de Pologne, I’m tremendously happy. Although it’s a bit of a double feeling because I finished at two seconds of the overall victory, but I’m not complaining. I can look back to this stage race with a positive feeling," De Clercq said.

“I had some confidence that the legs and the condition would be good; I had trained a lot and had a good feeling after the training camp in Livigno as well. But I didn’t expect to perform like this. That stage win and the second place in the GC please me a lot.

“The run-up in this Tour of Poland wasn’t tough, but the final stages were the opposite. The two penultimate stages were very hard, also the closing time trial was tough. I’m happy with the end result and I hope to hold that shape until the Vuelta. But first of all, I’m going to rest two weeks and I will enjoy the good results.”