The Tour de Pologne's 83rd edition runs from August 3-9, with 1,111 kilometres across seven days. The UCI WorldTour race will this year run from north to south, starting in the coastal city of Gdynia.
The mountains come later in the race, however that doesn't mean the opening stages are completely flat with day one delivering the longest stage on hilly terrain through Pomeranian Voivodeship. The sprinters then should be sure to get a chance on the next stage which takes off from alongside the Baltic Sea once again while the degree of difficulty will lift on stage 3.
Stage 4 hits the mountains, delivering a summit finish at at Orlinek in Karpacz. That's far from the end of the challenges though, with two more days in the mountains before the race once again concludes with an individual time trial starting and finishing near the Wieliczka Salt Mine that will deliver a testing final reckoning for the overall contenders.
Stage 1: Gdynia-Koszalin, 234km
It's a long and demanding route to open up the 2026 Tour de Pologne, with a distance of 234km ahead when the peloton lines up alongside the Baltic Sea in Gdynia. The hilly stage will deliver more than 2,000m of elevation gain on the way to Koszalin. What's more, the category 3 Góra Chełmska comes at just 6km before the finish line, providing a potential launching point and testing any of the sprinters that have remained in contact to that point.
- Sprint 1, km. 79.4
- Sprint 2, km. 138.7
- Sprint 3, km. 166.2
- KOM 1, km. 228.0
Stage 2: Międzyzdroje – Szczecin, 151km
Still on the coast for the Międzyzdroje start but it's a flatter day ahead, with less than 900m of elevation gain. There is an uphill start, but once that's through the terrain is less challenging and the course is also more than 80km shorter than the day before. It's definitely a day designed for the sprinters, so expect a bunch battle on the finish line in Szczecin.
- Sprint 1, km. 23.6
- Sprint 2, km. 28.6
Stage 3: Gorzów Wielkopolski – Zielona Góra, 193.5km
The third day of racing delivers a little more climbing as the route heads away from the coast and along the roads of the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The climbs not far before the Zielona Góra line have potential to throw a spanner in the works for the sprinters, with the category 3 climb in Przytok just 12km from the finish.
- Sprint 1, km. 79.7
- Sprint 2, km. 95.8
- KOM 1, km. 181.5
Stage 4: Żagań – Karpacz, 175.5km
On stage 4 the mountains begin. The route through the Lower Silesia starts with a gradual rise but things just get tougher as the stage with 2,432m of elevation gain continues. The first KOM points come with the categorised 3 climb in Antoniów at 117.7km into the day of racing. The category 1 tests of Borowice and Karpacz, peaking within 5km from the line, deliver a formidable obstacle before a final short descent and ascent to the finish in Karpacz.
- KOM 1, km. 117.7
- Sprint 1, km. 142
- KOM 2, km. 154
- KOM 3, km. 171.4
Stage 5: Opole-Kocierz Resort, 218.5km
The mountain finishes continue, with 2118m of elevation gain across the 218.5km stage from Opole. There is a test early in the stage with the category 2 Mount St. Anne at 40.4km and then it is a long and lumpy stretch to the next big climbing challenge, the Przegibek Pass which peaks within the final 30km. After the descent of that category one challenge, riders then take on final the ascent to the line at the Kocierz Resort.
- KOM 1, km. 40.4
- Sprint 1, km. 155.5
- KOM 2, km. 190
Stage 6: Bukovina Resort – Bukowina Tatrzańska, 126km
The queen stage will once again unfold in the Tatra mountains, with 2850m of elevation gain squeezed into 126km of racing. There are six chances to claim KOM points on the category 2 and 1 climbs along the way, first in Leszczyny, Słodyczki and Pitoniówka and then the demanding Bukovina Wall in Gliczarów, which the riders will take on three times as the course loops around. Then it is onto the final test of the day, with the climb to the finish line in Bukowina Tatrzańska.
- KOM 1, km. 13.8
- KOM 2, km. 22.8
- KOM 3, km. 51.3
- KOM 4, km. 64.5
- KOM 5, km. 88.5
- KOM 6, km. 112.7
Stage 7: Kopalnia Soli 'Wieliczka' (ITT), 12.5km
It all comes down to a final 12.5km test once again at the 2026 Tour de Pologne. The race against the clock starts and finishes near the Wieliczka Salt Mine in southern Poland near Kraków. There is a slight climb through the opening 1.5km before flat and a mild descent back to the salt mine. It's a stage that can make all the difference, with Brandon McNulty clinching overall victory in the race in 2025 thanks to his winning effort.
