Maja Włoszczowska wins silver medal in MTB marathon to end career

In her last career race, during the MTB marathon in Italy, Maja Włoszczowska of the KROSS ORLEN Cycling Team won the silver medal. On the 82-kilometre, technically very difficult course, the Olympic medallist was in the lead for a long time, but in the final she was overtaken by the Austrian rider Mona Mitterwallner. Maja Włoszczowska is ending her career in great style, but she is not saying goodbye to the world of sport. Our champion has just become a member of the board of the Polish Olympic Committee.

The marathon route on the Italian island of Elba is one of the most difficult and demanding from the competitors. There are numerous, very steep climbs, a large number of turns and difficult, rocky descents. The riders had 82 kilometres to ride in total, racing in two rounds. Maja Włoszczowska stayed in the front group for a long time and after about 30 kilometres she and the Austrian Mona Mitterwallner broke away from the group, working out a minute's lead. Only at the end of the race the Austrian rider overtook the Pole, who finished the race in second position.

Maja Włoszczowska won her first MTB World Marathon Championship title in 2003 in Lugano, and today, after 18 years she ended her career by winning the silver medal. This is a beautiful finale to the great sporting achievements of our champion, who has been at the very top, at the forefront of cycling, for all those years, and is ending her career at the highest level - said Kornel Osicki, Team Manager of KROSS ORLEN Cycling Team, after the race.