All 147 riders, including 10 Poles, signed the start list, having been introduced to fans the previous evening aboard the historic warship ORP Błyskawica.
Poland's biggest name in the race is Michał Kwiatkowski, the 2018 champion, who is riding his eighth Tour de Pologne with British team Netcompany Ineos.
Monday's opening stage to Koszalin is the longest of this year's race at 234km, taking the cyclists through the home region of race director Czesław Lang, including Kołczygłowy, where he was born in 1955.
The route features three intermediate sprints – in Kartuzy (35km), Bytów (98km) and Polanów (189km) – plus a climb at Góra Chełmska (228km), along with three special bonus points, including one in Kołczygłowy (138km).
"The Kashubia stage is far from easy – almost 2,000 metres of climbing. And I would not rule out a successful breakaway," Lang said.
He noted that podium jerseys give teams and sponsors extra motivation for their brand visibility, while time bonuses at the intermediate sprints add further incentive to attack.
The riders are expected to reach the finish in Koszalin at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
(ał)
Source: PAP