Zbigniew Spruch

Zbigniew Spruch (born 13 December 1965) is a Polish former professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de Pologne in 1995^[1] and placed second at the 2000 UCI Road World Championships. Spruch had was a professional cyclist for 12 year's, starting at the Lampre–Colnago team in 1992 with a two year stint at Mapei–GB for 1997 & 1998. He then finished his career back at the newly founded Lampre–Daikin squad. Spruch only achieved three professional wins in his career but amassed over 120 amateur victories.^[2]

Zbigniew Spruch

Personal information
Full name	Zbigniew Spruch
Born	(1965-12-13) 13 December 1965 (age 59) Kożuchów, Poland
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Professional teams
1992–1996	Lampre–Colnago
1997–1998	Mapei–GB
1999–2003	Lampre–Daikin
Major wins
Stage races Tour de Pologne (1995)
Medal record Representing  Poland Men's road bicycle racing UCI Road World Championships 2000 Plouay Road race

Career

Spurch won the Overall at the 1995 Tour de Pologne, however at the time the race was for amateurs unlike in the 2020's where it is a UCI WorldTour event.^[3] At the 1999 Tirreno–Adriatico Spruch came close to his third professional win when favorites for the stage Nicola Minali and Mario Cipollini crashed in the final 75 metres. Unfortunately Spruch was edged out by Steven de Jongh.^[4]

The Biggest non-victory of Spurch's career was finishing second at the Road race of the 2000 UCI Road World Championships. Spurch was in the final bunch chasing down Michele Bartoli who had attacked with less than 1km to go. The bunch caught Bartoli just before the line with Spruch tucked in behind Romāns Vainšteins, he could not sprint past the Latvian who took gold.^[5][6]

Major results

References:^[1][7][8]

1987

9th Overall Olympia's Tour

10th Overall Tour de Pologne

1988

1st Stage 3 Peace Race

1st Stage 5 Niedersachsen Rundfahrt

1989

1st Stage 2 Peace Race

1st Stages 4 & 6 Niedersachsen Rundfahrt

6th Overall Tour de Pologne

1st Stages 3 & 5

1990

1st Stage 7 Vuelta a Cuba

2nd Overall Tour of Małopolska

1st Stage 2

1991

1st Memorial Grundmanna I Wizowskiego

3rd Overall Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt

5th Overall Tour of Małopolska

7th Overall Tour de Pologne

1st Stages 2, 3 & 4

1992

6th Trofeo Laigueglia

8th Giro di Campania

9th Giro del Piemonte

1993

5th Overall KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde

6th Overall Tour de Pologne

1st Points classification

1994

2nd Trofeo Pantalica

3rd Paris-Tours

6th Gent-Wevelgem

7th Overall Tour de Pologne

1995 (1 Pro win)

1st Overall Tour de Pologne

1st Points classification

1st Stage 2

4th Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque

5th Overall Grand Prix du Midi Libre

1st Stage 1

6th Gent-Wevelgem

1996

9th Road race, Olympic Games

1997

2nd Overall Étoile de Bessèges

1998 (2)

1st Stage 5 Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda

5th Overall Tirreno-Adriatico

7th Overall Tour de Pologne

1st Points classification

1st Stage 1

1999

2nd Gent–Wevelgem

3rd Milan-San Remo

5th Tour of Flanders

9th Scheldeprijs

2000

2nd Road race, UCI Road World Championships

4th Milan-San Remo

7th Overall KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde

7th Paris-Tours

8th Amstel Gold Race

9th Tour of Flanders

2001

10th Paris-Tours

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

Source:^[9]

Grand Tour	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Giro d'Italia	47	—	66	DNF	47	100	72	—	—	—	—
Tour de France	—	DNF	—	—	DNF	—	—	DNF	—	—	—
/ Vuelta a España	—	46	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	DNF

Monuments results timeline

Source:^[10]

Monument	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Milan–San Remo	37	48	14	23	113	63	—	3	4	—	98	59
Tour of Flanders	—	40	15	71	63	DNF	—	5	9	—	38	37
Paris–Roubaix	—	—	—	—	—	51	—	14	15	—	15	DNF
Liège–Bastogne–Liège	—	—	—	47	—	—	—	12	15	—	—	DNF
Giro di Lombardia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—	—

Legend

—	Did not compete
DNF	Did not finish