On September 11, 2025, the Polish peloton of the European Peace Ride will set off from Stara Kopalnia in Wałbrzych. This is the only amateur cycling event, organized in a professional style, in a stage and international format. There are still places available – this year, participants will enjoy over 500 km of scenic routes in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany, along with a program of team-building events along the way, culminating in Chemnitz – this year’s European Capital of Culture.

The Polish peloton will then complete stages to Świeradów-Zdrój and Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic, where they will reunite with the main group on the third day, creating the largest amateur peloton in Europe, demonstrating the ideals of peace and cooperation across borders. Several generous starter packages, including a complete kit and helmet, are still available in the Polish group for ambitious amateurs who want to experience this adventure. Participation requirements are available on the event website, and the organizers also invite you to contact them directly.

Over the past few years, EPR races in Poland have been held in Wrocław, Zgorzelec/Görlitz, and Lwówek Śląski, where a separate Polish peloton started for the first time last year. The event, supported by local governments, including Lower Silesia and the City of Wałbrzych, institutions, and private partners from all three countries, continues to grow year after year. The organizers are committed to creating an international platform combining sport, culture, and business. This year’s edition will be attended by up to 250 participants, including the Polish representation of the State Fire Service.

The main peloton, which will visit Pilsen and Ústí nad Labem along the way, is scheduled to start in Passau, Bavaria. There, it will be joined by cyclists who had previously set off from Nova Gorica/Gorizia – symbolically connecting this year’s European Capitals of Culture with this route.

The Polish peloton’s route is a mountain cycling treat. After passing through Wałbrzych, it leads through the Central Sudetes and Karkonosze Mountains on the first day, all the way to the Jizera Mountains and Świeradów-Zdrój. On the second day, the peloton will briefly enter Germany before passing through Czech Switzerland – all the way to Ústí nad Labem, where a ceremonial reunion of the pelotons and an open-air mini-festival are planned. There will be plenty of opportunities for exchange and networking. On the third day, through the entire Ore Mountains (Krušné hory / Erzgebirge), this impressive peloton will be led to the finish line in Chemnitz by the legendary Jan Ullrich, winner of the Tour de France, among others. Also on the EPR will be multiple world champion Hanka Kupfernagel, André Greipel and Marcus Burghardt, well-known from the professional peloton, and Lukas Kaufmann, two-time Race Across America finisher.

You can follow the route live and join the peloton on selected sections.

“The Stara Kopalnia Multicultural Park is a unique and spectacular venue for the inauguration of the Polish leg of the EPR, and Wałbrzych is a European, open city with a rich history and a clear vision for the future. It is also a partner city of Freiberg, with its magnificent mining traditions, which, neighboring Chemnitz, is actively involved in the Capital of Culture celebrations,” says Kai Winkler, event director.

“This is the second time we are organizing a separate run for the Opole EPR peloton. This year, we will spend a full one and a half stages on Lower Silesian roads – over 200 km of scenic, mostly mountainous routes. I am very pleased that the State Fire Service (PSP) is once again traveling with us, and that together with the firefighters who daily help those in need, we can manifest the Olympic ideal of peace and unity in the spirit of sport,” adds Krzysztof Dobrowolski, coordinator of the Polish leg of the event.

One of the EPR’s goals is to encourage more women to participate in the event – the Females4PeaceRide program, through group work, provides the opportunity for appropriate preparation.

The European Peace Ride is not just about cycling, but also about international cooperation and exchange on many levels, including entrepreneurship. A Business Dialogue is planned on a special train carrying participants to the start – a program hailed by the MIKOMI Institute at the University of Mittweida, which organizes the event, as the most inspiring networking event of the year. Details are available from the organizers for individuals and companies interested in developing contacts with Saxon partners.

A new feature is the VIP Experience option – offering a unique experience of traveling with the peloton in a companion car. And these are experiences that are hard to overstate!

The Stara Kopalnia Multicultural Park / Science and Art Center in Wałbrzych is the largest post-industrial tourism attraction in Poland, located on the site of the former Julia Coal Mine – starakopalnia.pl

Polish Coordinator: Krzysztof Dobrowolski / krzysztof@peace-ride.com / +48 695 620 816

Event website: peace-ride.com/pl

Social media: Facebook: facebook.com/europeanpeaceridePL | Instagram: instagram.com/europeanpeaceridepl

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