“We already had a successful week here, but we wanted to leave the race on a high”, Kooij responded afterwards. “It was nice that Jonas already had the overall victory within reach, but I am very happy that I was able to add another stage win.”  

The short final stage in the Tour de Pologne took the peloton to Kraków, where another chance for the sprinters awaited. Team Visma | Lease a Bike had set its sights on another stage win. In the pursuit of the leading group, classification leader Vingegaard did a good job pulling in the peloton for sprinter Kooij. In the sprint, Kooij came to the front at the right moment. The 22-year-old Dutchman took his second stage win this week. Tim Merlier and Gerben Thijssen finished second and third.  

“I was hugely motivated to win a stage here”, Kooij added. “I managed to do it twice, so I can leave this race satisfied. The field of competitors in terms of sprinters was very strong. Today it was another narrow sprint with Merlier. I came in front at the perfect moment. It was a great day for the team.”  

Vingegaard faced no problems. The 27-year-old Dane thus took his third overall victory in a stage race this season - after O Gran Camino and Tirreno-Adriatico - and secured the overall victory in the Tour de Pologne for the first time in the team's history. Teammate Kelderman joined him on the final podium as third in the overall standings.  

“It's great to bounce back this way after everything that happened in the spring”, Vingegaard said. “To be honest, I thought my season was over after my crash in the Basque Country. I even feared for my career for a while. My performances in the Tour and here in Poland are better than I could have dreamed. We can look back on a successful week. Not just for me, but for the whole team with first and third place in the overall classification and two stage wins for Olav. Now I am going back home to support my pregnant wife. I am looking forward to that.”