Bart Lemmen will never forget the fourth stage of the 2026 Tour of Poland. In Karpacz, the Dutch rider for Visma | Lease a Bike secured his first professional victory, at the threshold of 31 years old, and also claimed the yellow jersey as the general classification leader.

Until 2023, Lemmen was part of the Dutch army, specifically the aviation squadron, of which he had also become commander. Then, however, he courageously chose cycling, becoming an appreciated domestique for Jonas Vingegaard and company. A courage he demonstrated yesterday as well, attacking on the climb and trying to outpace the favorites.

«Yes, it was indeed a courageous attack, but sometimes it's better to attack and go all-out rather than wait for others to make their moves».

What made the victory even more romantic were the wounds on his legs, sustained after the massive crash 40 kilometers from the finish. «The road was really slippery, I felt riders falling beside me and I already knew it would end like the many crashes we've seen on wet roads over the past two years - the Dutch rider recounted - I don't even remember if someone fell in front of me or not, I only know that my front wheel slipped and I went down hard. During the neutralization I wasn't even sure I would restart, because the right side was really painful, but then the adrenaline of the race allowed me to get back on the bike. I had to help Louis Barrè, I found myself up front and I gave it a try, building this opportunity somewhat unexpectedly».

The closing of a circle for one of the group's most curious stories: «It's my first victory, it means a lot. I find it hard to believe this moment has really arrived, because I've been chasing this day for quite some time and I was really fed up with the "zero" in the "victories" column. I want to enjoy it, and let's see what happens in the coming days».