Cycling Walk of Fame in Sobótka

On large granite rocks at the foot of Mount Ślęża, porcelain plaques show the photos and achievements of Poland's finest cyclists. The Cycling Walk of Fame in Sobótka is — as the wroclaw.pl portal points out — the only such avenue in the country, and about a hundred top riders have already been honoured. Its roots lie in the local club, which has trained generations of cyclists since 1957.

How the avenue came about

The idea came from Ryszard Rajczakowski, and it was carried out by the KS Ślęża Sobótka cycling club together with the Strzeblów mineral quarries and the Town and Municipality of Sobótka. A committee set the order of invitations: first the earliest Olympians and world championship medallists, then later generations. From the start the avenue was never meant to be a popularity vote — it was to be a meeting place for generations of cyclists. According to the club's chronicle, more than 40 rocks stood here by the end of 2017.

Names that made history

Among those who have unveiled their plaques here are Ryszard Szurkowski, Czesław Lang, Mieczysław Nowicki, Jan Faltyn, Jan Brzeźny and Zbigniew Szczepkowski. Later unveilings added Zenon Jaskuła, Lech Piasecki, Zbigniew Spruch, Marek Leśniewski and Andrzej Sypytkowski, as well as Sławomir Chrzanowski, a product of the Sobótka club; the late Seoul Olympic silver medallist Joachim Halupczok was also commemorated. In 2017 Paulina Brzeźna-Bentkowska unveiled her rock as she was ending her career.

Sobótka — a cycling town

Cycling in Sobótka dates back to 1957, and as early as 1959 the first race in the "Ślęża Cup" series was held. In the 1970s and early 1980s it attracted Poland's best riders, including Królak, Szurkowski, Szozda and Nowicki, as well as teams from East Germany, Czechoslovakia and even Mongolia. Since 2002 the club has organised the Ślężański Mnich race, regarded as the season opener for the national elite, and the club signed an agreement to stage the Polish championships in 2015–2018. New plaques are usually unveiled during the Ślężański Mnich.

What to look out for

• Granite rocks with porcelain plaques — each with a photo and a description of the rider's greatest successes.
• Ryszard Szurkowski's rock, one of the first to be unveiled.
• Plaques of Ślęża Sobótka's own riders, including Sławomir Chrzanowski.

Tripto tips

The avenue lies in a public space along św. Anny Avenue and Armii Krajowej Street, so you can visit it free of charge at any time. 20–30 minutes is enough for a stroll along the rocks. Cycling fans should come in spring for the Ślężański Mnich, when new plaques are unveiled. The visit combines easily with a climb up Ślęża (718 m), reached by trails straight from Sobótka.