The Ślężański Mnich in Sobótka, Lower Silesia, has produced some memorable racing moments since its founding in 1991. The UCI 1.2-rated one-day classic covers 148.2 kilometres of punchy, technical terrain around the foot of Mount Ślęża and has a well-earned reputation for unpredictable racing. The 2026 edition, held on Sunday 12 April, delivered its most unpredictable moment yet — and it had nothing to do with the official startlist.
Officers from the Sobótka Police Station, on duty at the race, spotted a 20-year-old local man — already well known to them from previous property crimes — rolling through the area on a suspiciously upmarket racing bicycle. When they moved in, he did what any self-respecting cyclist would do: he attacked.
The suspect rode straight onto the race course, overtook the peloton, and briefly found himself at the front of the race — creating chaos for riders, officials, and support staff in the process. Midway through his impromptu solo breakaway, he compounded his problems by hurling the bike’s stolen GPS computer into the roadside verge, presumably in the hope that losing the evidence would also lose the police. It did not.
Officers reeled him in shortly afterwards and he is looking at a five-year prison term after confessing. The bike and GPS device — together worth over 28,000 złoty (approximately €6,500) —were recovered and returned to their rightful owner.
As is cycling tradition, he attacked, he bridged the gap, he briefly led the race — and the he was caught.
Photo Credit: Instagram/blazimus
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