A quick preview look at Gracia Orlová 2025

Mathew Mitchell

Published on April 30, 2025
in Women's Cycling

First held in 1987, the Gracia Orlova has quietly grown into one of the longest-running women’s stage races in Europe. Originally created to elevate the national-level Czechoslovak Cup for Women and Youth into an international event, the race found its footing in the industrial heartlands of the Moravian-Silesian Region. With stages often weaving into nearby Polish territory, it remains a true cross-border event in spirit and terrain. The 2025 race won’t cross the border but does get within a few hundred metres on Stage 4.

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Over nearly four decades, Gracia Orlova has played host to a roll call of legendary names. Riders such as Marianne Vos (2008 winner), Ellen van Dijk (2013 winner), Riejanne Markus (2017 winner), Marta Bastianelli (2019 winner), Judith Arndt (four-time winner), and Hanka Kupfernagel (five-time winner) have all stood on the podium here, using the event as either a springboard for their emerging careers or as a key stepping stone in their spring campaigns. Kupfernagel’s dominance in the late 1990s, with victories in five out of six years from 1995 to 2000, remains unmatched in the race’s history.

Wankiewicz-Jeffers-Bajgerova-2024-Gracia-Orlova-Stage-5-podium

After a two-year Covid-related hiatus from 2020 to 2021, the race returned to the calendar with renewed purpose. The recent winners’ list reflects its current identity: a development-focused race with growing international competitiveness. Jenny Rissveds and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka took wins in 2022 and 2023 respectively, while last year saw Corinna Lechner score a memorable overall victory for the Wheel Divas team — a rare triumph for a continental-level outfit against national teams and pro squads.

Held across four days and five stages — including a split stage day featuring a time trial — Gracia Orlova now sits at UCI 2.2 level, attracting national teams, club squads and continental teams eager for exposure and results. The 2025 edition will mark the 37th time the race has been contested, and its reputation as a talent-identifying race continues to strengthen. As the peloton prepares to return to the rugged climbs and cobbled finishes around Ostrava and more, this year’s edition once again promises a mix of unpredictability, development opportunity, and fiercely contested racing.