Five Ineos Grenadiers riders have had their contracts extended, including two stalwarts, it was revealed on Friday afternoon.

Michał Kwiatkowski and Ben Swift are among the five that will continue to ride into 2026, along with Lucas Hamilton, Kim Heiduk and Brandon Rivera.

Kwiatkowski, 35, joined Team Sky in 2016, and the former world champion will continue with the squad until at least 2028. Meanwhile, Swift was part of the original Team Sky lineup in 2010, and has been at the squad ever since, apart from two years he spent at UAE Team Emirates.

In a press release, the former said: "“It feels natural to stay. I love the atmosphere, the people and the way we work. I’m not here to stay in my comfort zone, I’m here because this is where I push myself every day. I feel joy when things go well and I feel supported when they don’t. That’s cycling - one day you’re on top of the world, the next you’re fighting through a tough moment. It’s been an amazing journey so far, but it’s not over yet.

"This team has been my home for so many years, and I still feel the same hunger and motivation every time I pin on a number. What keeps me here is the people, the trust and the shared ambition to keep performing at the highest level."

Kwiatkowski had an interrupted season after suffering a knee injury at Strade Bianche; he has won Amstel Gold Race twice, Milan-San Remo, and two stages at the Tour de France in a decorated career.

Swift, 38, has become a reliable road captain at Ineos, after being a sprinter earlier in his career. "This team has been such a big part of my life and to head into an 18th season as a pro is fantastic," he said. "I still love the racing, the camaraderie and the purpose we all share. It’s a privilege to help guide the younger riders and play my part in the next chapter of the Grenadiers.

"Our team is on a real upward trajectory and I am looking forward to playing a role in that progression. I can’t wait to kick off the 2026 season and to get racing."

The press release says that he will "continue for another season", implying it might be his last. It has been reported elsewhere that Swift is in the process of his sports director qualifications.

Hamilton has a two-year extension, while Heiduk and Rivera have one more season.

Geraint Thomas, Ineos' newly installed director of racing, said: "It’s brilliant to have these five lads continue with us. They all bring something a bit different and they’ll be key to what we want to do next season.

"With Kwiato, he’s been part of the biggest victories in the team both on a personal level and also in a supporting role, so keeping him involved and having his experience in the rider group is hugely beneficial.

"Kim and Brandon have come on loads since joining the team. They’re just so solid - it doesn’t matter what the race is, they go there, are good and give their absolute best.

"Lucas only joined last year, but he’s a great character to have around with a typical Aussie spirit which we’ve always had to some extent over the years. He had a really strong Giro, impressed across a range of other stage races and will have plenty to contribute in the coming seasons.

"And then there’s Swifty. He’s the elder statesman now, but last season he proved exactly why experience counts. He did a bit of everything, across loads of races, and every single time he was just rock solid. Swifty sets the tone for the younger lads coming through and will play a big part in helping them get to know what bike racing is all about."

Ineos Grenadiers have announced three new signings for 2026: Kévin Vaquelin, Dorian Godon and Embret Svestad-Bårdseng.

Earlier this week, Daniel Benson reported that the team are closing in on signing Australian sprinter Sam Welsford, and that there is interest in signing Oscar Onley, too.

Robbie McEwen has said that he believes Ineos Grenadiers have a "fresh mentality" coming into the new season which is already bringing them results.

After enduring their worst ever season on record, the team has started 2025 with a bang, winning four times in the first few races of the year.

Michał Kwiatkowski achieved Ineos’ first pro win in 226 days at the Clásica Jaén last week. That was then followed up with Josh Tarling taking victory in the time trial at the UAE Tour, marking the team’s first WorldTour win in 254 days in the process. Prior to those two victories, Egan Bernal won the time trial and road race at the Colombian national championships.

Filippo Ganna appeared to have added to the tally on stage one of the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal. But the opening stage was subsequently cancelled in unusual circumstances.

Speaking on Thursday, TNT Sports expert McEwen backed Ineos to continue their rich vein of form and said that he believed the influence of the more senior figures on the team was partly behind their bright start.

"I think it’s the riders themselves who have brought about the turnaround," McEwen said. "Obviously, they’re the ones pushing the pedals, but from the outside looking in, it seems like the riders have taken much more ownership of their roles within the team. Before, everything was very structured—they were told exactly when to do things, there was a formula to follow.

"Now, it looks like they’re just out there racing their bikes, without overthinking it or waiting for instructions over the race radio. I think they were getting bogged down by all the planning and structure. Now they’re racing with their hearts again. They’re throwing themselves into races and enjoying it, rather than going through a process that’s filled with pressure."

He added: "I think it’s the veterans in the team, like [Michal] Kwiatkowski and Geraint Thomas, who are leading the charge with this new attitude. It really feels like a fresh mentality, and I think that’s driving the team forward, and I’m liking what I’m seeing."

Ineos recently signed Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan from Jayco AIUla, suggesting that the team could partly shift its identity in the coming weeks towards one more focused on sprint stages in Grand Tours. The team has always predominantly been a GC centred squad in the biggest races of the season.

Ewan has not won a WorldTour race since 2022, but McEwen said he believes the 30-year-old is in the right environment now.

He said: "The important thing is that Caleb feels confident, that he’s really welcomed into the team, and that the team is invested in having a sprinter who can win on flat stages. They’ve got the firepower to support him. He just needs to find one or two guys he can really gel with, and if they have some success together, I think that confidence will build. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out in the first few races.

"It might be a bit of a struggle at first, considering he hasn’t raced much recently, but I’m willing to give him a couple of months to find top form and start grabbing wins. It would be great to see an INEOS jersey back in the mix in the bunch sprints again."

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Ineos Grenadiers won their first race outside of National Championships since July 2024 on Monday - 226 days ago - winning the Clásica Jaén through Michał Kwiatkowski.

The Pole attacked with 65km to go of the Spanish one-day race in Andalusia, taking Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates XRG) with him, joining the three remaining members of the day's breakaway out front. The leading trio later became just Kwiatkowski, McNulty and Ibon Ruiz of Kern Pharma. After McNulty punctured and Ruiz faded, Kwiatkowski soloed to victory. Ruiz ended up finishing third, with Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) overtaking him to finish second.

Aside from Egan Bernal's twin victories at the Colombian National Championships it was Ineos Grenadiers' first triumph since stage wins at the Tour of Austria last July. After a tough 2024 which saw them win just 14 times, they have now notched three wins in 2025 by mid-February. It was Kwiatkowski's 32nd victory of his career, but the first since he won stage 13 of the Tour de France in 2023.

It was not just an impressive performance from the former world champion, either, with new signing Axel Laurance and Ben Turner also inside the top 10; Bernal and Ben Swift were ever-present throughout the race as well. It seemed like there were always Ineos riders in the key moves, a good start to the European season, even if this was a 1.1-ranked race. They are still waiting for their first WorldTour win since the Critérium du Dauphiné last year, 253 days ago. Sadly for the team, Bernal crashed late on and was taken to hospital.

"You always have to believe that sort of thing was possible," Kwiatkowski said of his move. "The pace was super hard from the second sector and I didn't expect that that early on. Late on it was a small group, and we had a lot of numbers. Everyone was racing perfectly, we knew we could do it well. I just went in a move with McNulty. I was proud of how we rode today. I want to dedicate this victory to my family, it has been a tough couple of months."

"Last year I had a lower back injury, so I didn't race for a long time. I started racing in Australia, I had pretty good condition, but I was missing something to get the victory. Back here, I had a decent two weeks training, my family stayed at home so I know much sacrifice I have done. It means a lot to me that I'm back on the level of winning the races. If it was not me today, there were other guys on my team that deserved the victory."

There was a point, as the breakaway approached the Grand Colombier on stage 13 of the Tour de France, that Michał Kwiatkowski appeared to get all existential. It is impossible to say whether the Ineos Grenadiers rider is a fan or reader of Jean-Paul Sartre or Søren Kierkegaard, but he was certainly questioning why he was there, why he was in a 16-man group heading into only the second mountain-top finish of this year's race.

"Throughout the entire day I was thinking about what I was here for, what my objective to be in this breakaway was," the Pole explained post-stage. "We were aiming for a stage win in many other stages, and this one came completely unexpected. I never thought that out of this group I was going to fight for this stage win, because the advantage was really small."

For much of the day, the time gap was hovering around two minutes, before it shot up to four as the break set out on the final climb. Still, Kwiatkowski is not renowned as a climber - while he has overperformed as a super-domestique before, he has never put in this kind of display on a mountain. The victory, and his ability to hold off the charging general classification group, therefore came as a surprise to the 33-year-old.

"I heard from [Matej] Mohorič that we had four minutes from the bottom of the climb," Kwiatkowski said. "I still need to sum this up, it was a bit crazy on the last climb, but I still can’t believe that this was possible. It was amazing to have this win after such a hard tour so far, where I’ve been trying so many times and after so much work to get ready for July. I’m super grateful."

In the end, the Ineos Grenadiers rider attacked with 11.7km to go of the 17km-long Grand Colombier, paced himself, and was able to hold off the likes of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, who finished just 50 seconds behind.

"I thought they would come sooner or later," Kwiatkowski said." Tadej and Jonas are on such a level that when I saw they were just three minutes behind me, I thought they’d only need one or two kilometres to catch me. Then, the flat sections and the tailwind, the last 7 or 6 kilometres  were just quick. 

"The first 10km up the climb were tough, I survived those moments, and I was just trying to get into position on that flat section, and that played to my advantage. It was actually great that I rode the Grand Colombier in the past, that helped me a lot for sure."

What made the result even more special for Kwiatkowski was the fact he had felt so rubbish on stage 12, hanging on at the back of the race. Furthermore, it took a long time into stage 13 for him to believe he had a chance at the win, his second Tour stage.

"I thought for the first 120km that I was a passenger here, and I would have to support Carlos [Rodríguez] or Tom [Pidcock] on the last climb, or maybe before. Then all of a sudden I heard we had four minutes, and I thought I’d have a go, and I’d pace myself from the bottom to the finish. 

"It was euphoria when I heard we had an advantage, and when I caught the guys. It was intense, to start to realise 'shit I can win this stage’. In half an hour I had completely different emotions, it’s crazy. I had the worst day on the bike yesterday at this Tour, I was really suffering on the bike, and today I had the best legs. It’s all upside down. It’s completely strange, and different emotions."

The Pole has one of the most complete palmarés of the peloton: the World Championship road race, Milan-San Remo, two Tour de France stage wins, the Amstel Gold Race and a Tour of Britain stage. And yet, one can't help but feel that he could have won more, had an even bigger trophy cabinet, had he not moved to Team Sky in 2016 and effectively put his ambitions behind those of the team. He has regularly been one of the best teammates of Sky/Ineos' leaders, with less opportunities to win himself.

However, Kwiatkowski did not countenance the feeling that he missed out, that he could have done more over his career, and who can blame him.

"I don’t live with the past, it’s not the way to do it," he said. "I always look ahead, think positive about what’s coming. I don't really focus on what I’ve achieved or what I didn’t achieve, it doesn’t really matter. I’m trying to live and think about what I can do tomorrow, what I can do after the Tour with my family, where I can go on holiday. 

"Yesterday was yesterday, that’s it, today I want to celebrate. My career is my career, my decisions. I can’t live in the past, it’s unhealthy to think about the decisions you made and where you came from. I’m happy with where I am. Today I’m on the podium, and I’m happy."

After his day on the podium, normality will return for the 33-year-old on Saturday, back in the service of Rodríguez and Pidcock, who are fourth and eight on general classification, respectively. 

"I do think it’s possible for them to finish on the podium, they could even win the Tour," Kwiatkowski said. "You never really know. So far, they’ve done a great race and we’re just going through the process with them, and the entire team believes they can improve. 

"The other rivals can just have bad days and we can have good days. Based on that, we’re trying to win the Tour. Jonas and Tadej are on a high level, but you never know. We always aim high. I don’t think they lost time today, so hopefully Saturday and Sunday, they can push on."

Back to his day job, Kwiatkowski might spend less time wondering why he is there, why he exists, but he should remember that he deserves to be at the front of the race, and can still challenge. The existentialism is unnecessary. 

Another year at the Amstel Gold Race, another photo finish involving an Ineos Grenadiers rider.

Last year, Tom Pidcock was narrowly judged to have been beaten by Wout van Aert on the finish line at Valkenburg, something that is still contentious. In 2022, Michał Kwiatkowski was initially told that it would be another second place for Ineos, with Benoît Cosnefroy declared the winner.

However, seconds later, the decision was reversed once the finish line photos were looked at closely, with Kwiatkowski clearly beating Cosnefroy by a matter of centimetres.

The reversal of the decision created an interesting tableau in the area post the finish line, with Kwiatkowski and teammates Tom Pidcock going from devastation to elation, while the AG2R Citroën camp looked like they had gone from being told they were each being bought a puppy to being told that those puppies had died.

Kwiatkowski had learned from last year's drama to not fully base his reactions off the first result, as it might change.

"After the finish line I learned a little bit from last year with Tom that you have to wait with the euphoria, and I still can’t believe it," the Pole explained.

Julien Jurdie, the AG2R DS, was exasperated by how the announcement played out; the rollercoaster of emotions could have been avoided if the declaration of the winner had been delayed until after the photo finish was looked at.

He told Eurosport: "Obviously we’re frustrated, because radio tour announced that Cosnefroy had won… I would have preferred radio tour to announce a photo finish. Mixed emotions. Huge joy, and then of course very big disappointment as well."

However, he did not seem too down, praising his team's performance across the day, adding: "We’ll take a lot of positives from today."

There was no extended delay like there was in 2021, with the organisers possibly working on their finish line technology since last year, but there was still confusion. 

Kwiatkowski said that he was "confident" he could win in the sprint against Cosnefroy, but his dreams were almost dashed in the final 200m as the Frenchman appeared to have a second kick.

The Pole stuck to his rival's back wheel until just 150m to go, with the knowledge that he had Pidcock behind if the groups came back together, as a result he was not obliged to work hard to maintain the gap, unlike Cosnefroy.

"A lot of luck I would say, it was very tough," Kwiatkowski said. "Tough finish, tough sprint. I was super confident I could win, but at the same time the last 50m were super tough. Cosnefroy still accelerated when I was beside him, and for me it was all about the win. Knowing Tom was in the front group, it was all about winning the race. I was only there to win the race."

On the drama of the decision being switched, the Ineos rider described it as "very confusing" admitting that after feeling unlucky, he now felt incredible.

"It was very confusing, I was super sad in the first place, because as I said it was all about the win," Kwiatkowski explained. "They were all counting on me doing the right thing, Cosnefroy did most of the job, and with Tom in the back I knew we could win the race in a few different ways.

"It wasn’t up to me to make the gap, and after the finish line I learned a little bit from last year with Tom that you have to wait with the euphoria, and I still can’t believe it. Maybe it’ll come up again and they got the photo finish wrong. It felt unlucky, being here is just incredible.

"I love this race, and after all the bad moments I’ve had this season with covid and before that with flu, being sick, not being able to follow my race programme, and now being here winner of Amstel it is an incredible feeling."

Amstel was just his 13th race day of the season after his stop-start beginning to 2022. He rode the UAE Tour and Milan-San Remo, where he has won in the past, without showing himself much. The Ineos rider was later forced to abandon the Volta a Catalunya due to illness, and this was his first race in April.

The win was also Kwiatkowski's first since his Tour de France stage win in 2020, and proved that the 31-year old still has a lot to give this team which is increasingly looked younger.

"It’s not only about this race," a clearly emotional Kwiatkowski said. "I think I proved to myself that I have to be patient and sooner or later the victory will come, the performance, and I would be able to perform. The beginning of the season was very tough, when your family is getting sick, and you are not able to even train, and all the races are postponed. The racing calendar was upside down and it was very difficult to be back on track."

Michał Kwiatkowski has revealed his finished among the favourites in Milan-San Remo while suffering a broken rib. 

The Ineos Grenadiers one-day specialist was one of the strongest riders to emerge as the first Monument of the season hit the Poggio on Saturday (March 20), with Kwiatkowski battling his way to a top-20 finish on the Via Roma. 

But a day after the race, Kwiatkowski said on social media that he had just been diagnosed with a fractured rib, suffered during a crash in an earlier Italian one-day race in March. 

The former world champion said: “As it turned out today, I have a fractured rib. 

“It hasn’t been an easy Italian campaign since the crash in Laiguelia, physically and mentally at the same time.” 

Kwiatkowski crashed in the Trofeo Laigueglia on March 3, the first of his Italian block of races, posting a picture of his road rash the day after the fall.

The Polish rider then pulled out of Strade Bianche a few days later mid-race, but was able to ride through Tirreno-Adriatico as he continued his preparation for the Classics. 

Then in Milan-San Remo, Kwiatkowski and Tom Pidcock were the two strongest riders for Ineos Grenadiers in the final, after their team-mate Filippo Ganna set a blistering pace on the Poggio. 

But as Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) escaped the front group to take victory in the Italian Monument, Pidcock and Kwiatkowski were left behind to finish in 15th and 17th respectively. 

Speaking after the stage Pidcock, riding his first Milan-San Remo, said: "The team rode so well for me and Kwiato and I was able to follow on the Poggio. Then I thought I’d try a little attack on the descent to see if they’d give me a gap but I didn’t really know where I was going! So that didn’t really work so well. I was a bit too far forward going into the final and the line came up on me fast, but overall I'm happy. It’s a good result to take into the cobbled Classics."

>>> Strava data reveals rapid ascent of the Poggio in Milan-San Remo 2021 

Kwiatkowski, 30, is next scheduled to race in Dwars door Vlaanderen on March 31, although he may opt to skip the race to recover for his targets later in the season. 

Michał Kwiatkowski ensured Ineos won't leave this Tour de France empty-handed after riding to the stage 17 victory alongside team-mate Richard Carapaz.

In an emotional press conference, the Polish rider spoke of how he'll now fight to keep the polka dot jersey on Carapaz's back, having won enough points to overhaul Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), as well as dedicating the victory to Nicolas Portal, saying their former sports director is always on the team's mind.

>>> Five talking points from stage 18 of the Tour de France 2020

"We have to live with [Portal not being here] and whenever we are not successful or are successful we always remember him," Kwiatkowski said, struggling to contain his emotion. "It’s just hard to describe really, we miss him a lot and I know that he especially would have enjoyed that today. I think the spirit that we've had through the Tour, we’re inspired by him. So definitely it’s for him."

With Ineos switching to stage hunting after their defending champion Egan Bernal withdrew from the race earlier in the week, having fallen out of GC contention on stage 15. While Kwiatkowski says he is "not a doctor" and therefore unable to give insight into Bernal's physical condition, the former world champion said that when people point out the British team may be suffering from the absence of their talented sports director that they obviously know that. Beyond sport, it's become clear this Tour de France as to just how personal the loss all involved with Ineos has been.

"A lot of people have judged what we've been doing at this Tour, and they were saying how we miss Nico in the car, but we know that. We miss him a lot."

This stage win has salvaged something for Ineos at this Tour, especially due to the manner of how they took it and Kwiatkowski says this year Ineos will just have to settle for being winners of a stage rather than the yellow jersey.

It was last year's winner of the pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia who will receive most of the team's and Kwiatkowski's thanks. Richard Carapaz spent three days getting into the break since Bernal was cracked on the Grand Colombier. Having come within 3km of the stage 17 victory, Carapaz now takes the reward for his efforts in the form of the polka-dot jersey.

Having grown accustomed to being the rider who helped the likes of Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to victory at the Tour, Michał Kwiatkowski now says he will do all he can to protect Carapaz's polka dot lead to try and return the favour for the Ecuadorian's hard work on stage 18.

"I would like to sit with him and drink a coffee, it would be an easier conversation to have but when you're riding 40km an hour it’s kind of chaotic," Kwiatkowski said of how he would prefer to divvy up the spoils earned from a hard day off the front of a bike race.

"For Richard, the first goal of the day was to collect those points in the mountain jersey. When Hirschi crashed, Richard basically said I can have the stage but with one condition, that he would have the polka dot jersey in Paris basically.

"I was just talking about celebrating and stuff, but maybe now I need to figure out how to help him defend it."

The sun was shining in from a window and cutting across Kwiatkowski's face during his winner's press conference. Despite having to prepare to ride into Paris without yellow helmets and champagne flutes, this stage win and the hope of the polka dot jersey means the sun is yet to set on Ineos' 2020 Tour de France.

Michał Kwiatkowski took his first ever Grand Tour stage win on stage 18 of the Tour de France 2020, after being gifted the victory by his team-mate Richard Carapaz.

After the abandonment of their team leader Egan Bernal earlier in the week Ineos Grenadiers were determined to take some consolation from the race, forcing four of their riders up the road in the day's 30-rider breakaway.

Carapaz and Kwiatkowski dropped all their rivals over the day's relentless climbs, but it was Kwiatkowski who was allowed roll over the line first, almost side by side with Giro d'Italia champion Richard Carapaz.

Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)  secured the yellow jersey for another day with just two stages.

How it happened

Stage 18 of the 2020 Tour de France was another huge climbing test, following on from a brutal day of race over the Col de la Madeleine and the Col de la Loze on stage 17. 

But the final mountain stage of this Tour, 175km from Méribel to La Roche-sur-Foron, actually featured more climbing that the previous day, spread over five classified climbs, which started almost immediately after the flag dropped. 

The first climb was the Cormet de Roselend (18.6km at 6.1 per cent average), which crested 46km into the stage and was guaranteed to throw riders out the back early on the stage.

That climb was followed quickly by the Côte de la route des Villes (3.2km at 6.6 per cent) and then the Col des Saisies (14.6km at 6.4 per cent), both of which followed in the next 40km. 

After another sharp descent the peloton were carried onto the Col des Aravis (6.7km at seven per cent) before one last brutal classified climb - the Montée du plateau des Glières (6km to 11.2 per cent), which topped out 30km from the finish.

The climb also featured a 1.8km-long gravel sector very close to the summit.  

But reaching the top of the last climb was not the end for the riders, as they still had to descent the climb to then take on the uncategorised Col des Fleuries, with the stage ending after the downhill drag from that small peak. 

Tipped as a day for the breakaway to take stage honours, it was no huge shock that all teams wanted to make it into the day’s escape, sparking a high-speed start to the stage with a 30-rider group breaking clear early on. 

Sam Bennett (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) and Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) both made it into the move to fight for the green jersey points on offer just over 10km into the day.

Bennett took the maximum points in the intermediate sprint, with Matteo Trentin (CCC Team) second and Sagan having to settle for third, before the sprinters settled in for a long day in the mountains. 

As the breakaway extended their advantage out to 90 seconds, back in the bunch B&B Hotels-Vital Concept were desperate to make amends having missed the move and rode hard at the front of the peloton, but they were unable to correct their major mistake and were forced to give up the chase as the race hit the Roselend. 

After a number of riders were dropped on the climb, 28 riders held at the front of the race including the likes of Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Marc Hirschi (Sunweb) and Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-McLaren).

Ineos Grenadiers were best represented in the group with four riders, including Michał Kwiatkowski and Richard Carapaz.  

Giro d’Italia champion Carapaz and Hirschi were the strongest over the first classified climb, with Carapaz leading, as the pair pushed on over the top.

That duo pulled out a 20-second advantage on the rest of the break, with the peloton still 2-55 behind the escapees.  

Onto the Côte de la Route des Villes and three more riders had joined Hirschi and Carapaz, with Kwiatkowski, Bilbao and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) closing the distance, Hirschi first over the top of the climb .  

Back in the bunch Jumbo-Visma led the charge but the break continued to extend their advantage out beyond eight minutes.  

Then on the Col des Saisies Edet began to lose contact, with Kwiatkowski, Carapaz, Bilbao and Hirschi all reaching the top of the climb together, but disaster struck for Hirschi on the descent when his mesmerising descending skills finally failed him and he slid out on a fast left-hand turn. 

The Swiss rider was able to get back on the bike, but lost 45 seconds to the front of the race and was never able to rejoin the group. 

With two classified climbs left to tackle, it was Kwiatkowski, Carapaz and rival Bilbao who were glued together and they were still riding strong onto the horribly steep plateau des Gliéres. 

Bilbao was finally distanced on the climb, with the Ineos pairing riding off into the distance.

It was on the Gliéres that the GC race also exploded once more back in the peloton, with Mikel Landa and Wout Poels (Bahrain-McLaren) surging forward with more than 30km still to race.  

Under the familiar pressure applied by Wout van Aert for Jumbo-Visma, the GC group was reduced to just eight riders, including Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Miguel Ángel López (Astana) Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo), with Landa 20 seconds up the road but soon being caught. 

The GC group then hit 1,800m unpaved sector of the climb, with Roglič and Pogacar the strongest riders, setting a tough pace. 

Porte suffered an awfully timed (if inevitable) puncture on the gravel and lost contact with the group, getting a fairly swift bike change but still losing 35 seconds on the road.  

Onto the descent of the Gliéres Kwiatkowski and Carapaz still had almost five minutes over the GC group 4-49 behind the leaders, with 15km left to the line. 

The yellow jersey group had been reduced to Roglič and Sepp Kuss from Jumbo, Pogačar, López, Landa and Bilbao for Bahrain, and Enric Mas (Movistar), with just an uncategorised climb to get over before the downhill run to the line.  

Porte chased with determination and miraculously made it back to the favourites as the pace fell away. 

For the stage victory, Kwiatkowski and Carapaz rode to the line side by side a long way ahead of the competition, with Kwiatkowski allowed to get his wheel across the line first.

Behind the GC group was effectively neutralised after an attritional day of racing, with Roglič safely holding onto his race lead for another day. 

>>> André Greipel abandons Tour de France 2020  

The race continues with a potentially unpredictable day on stage 19, over 166km from Bourg-en-Bresse to Champagnole - potentially an opportunity for the sprinters, but with a fourth category climb and a lot of uncategorised ramps on the way, it will be a tough ask for the fast men to make it to the finish in top shape.   

Results

Tour de France 2020, stage 18: Méribel to La Roche-sur-Foron (175km) 

1. Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers, in 4-47-33

2. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, at same time

3. Wout van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma, at 1-51

4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jubmo-Visma, at 1-53

5. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at same time

6. Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo, at 1-54

7. Enric Mas (Esp) Movistar

8. Mikel Landa (Esp) Bahrain-McLaren

9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain-McLaren

10. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumo-Visma, all at same time

General classification after stage 18

1. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, in 79-45-30

2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 57s

3. Miguel Ángel López (Col) Astana, at 1-27

4. Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo, at 3-06

5. Mikel Landa (Esp) Bahrain-McLaren, at 3-28

6. Enric Mas (Esp) Movistar, at 4-19

7. Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, at 5-55

8. Rigoberto Urán (Col) EF Pro Cycling, at 6-05

9. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma, at 7-24

10. Alejandro Valerde (Esp) Movistar, at 12-12

As well as having to contend with any potential teething problems of being the first WorldTour race back after the coronavirus break, the peloton at Strade Bianche will also face sweltering heat and stonier gravel than in March.

That is the estimation of CCC's Greg Van Avermaet, who's twice finished runner-up in the Italian one-day race and is once again aiming for the top placings on Saturday.

"It's gonna be super warm. The race looks a little bit different than in March, it's a little bit stonier and a little bit more gravel I think...but every rider is excited to start the season," Van Avermaet said outside his team hotel.

Having reconned the last 75km on Thursday, two-time winner Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos) says the surface is more like "racing on snow" compared to road conditions in March,  the race's normal date.

"The gravel is just looser, it's dustier. So obviously everybody's going to have less grip. I would compare it to racing on snow now.

"There are plenty of rocks, little rocks, dust, everything that's on the road. So it might be hard for someone who's never done it."

>>> Rohan Dennis dispute with Bahrain-McLaren thrown out by UCI

As for safety concerns, the Vuelta a Burgos has so far shown the return of racing is viable, but nevertheless, coronavirus anxiety will likely remain for the foreseeable.

"Yeah, I think we've tried to do [it] as well as possible," Van Avermaet says of the protocols being implemented, while a team staff member pulls a tape barrier across separating the Olympic champion from the press who are leaning in closer and closer to hear the muted Belgian.

"It's not easy because we are traveling quite a lot, it's a big peloton, it's a big bubble. I think the most important is the testing. Seeing who is positive and who is negative and hoping everything in our team can be easily managed. I think [maintaining] these kinds of conditions make it possible to restart racing, which is important for us, for the sponsors and for the whole of cycling."

Kwiatkowski is equally satisfied with the measures put in place but says the worry lingers that at any point he could come into contact with someone who is positive and unknowingly pass it on to someone else.

"Since March, or let's say the beginning of the lockdown, I have one thing in mind. Whoever I meet, they might be a potential person with coronavirus."

Both riders name each other as favourites for the race, as well as the likes of Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) in what is the first of many all-star casts fans can expect in quick succession during the revised calendar.

The pair are quietly assured ahead of shortened seasons and their futures up in the air. With plenty more opportunities for wins in the months ahead, the pressure may be off for now.

Kwiatkowski says he'll focus on racing while letting his agent sort out his deal for 2021, while Van Avermaet has faith in team manager Jim Ochowicz to find a new backer for CCC.

"I'm just keeping my options open," Van Avermaet said when asked about the speculation linking him to teams such as Ag2r La Mondiale and Israel Start-Up Nation. "I'm still confident in my own team finding a new sponsor. But of course, I'm also looking for other teams to go to if it's not working, especially in these times where it's not hard to find a sponsor. So I'm just waiting for some of these decisions from Och [Ochowicz] to find something and afterwards, it's not possible, of course, I will try my chances anywhere else."

Michał Kwiatkowski is the latest rider to show his support for health workers during the coronavirus crisis, offering up free accommodation to those who need it.

The Polish star rider and former world champion announced on Facebook that he had a number of apartments available which he will open up to doctors and nurses working during the global pandemic.

Kwiatkowski (Team Ineos) joins his team-mate Luke Rowe in supporting health workers during the crisis.

In a Facebook post, Kwiatkowski said: “There are no words to thank the medical services for their work.

“Maybe some doctors, nurses and other workers are afraid to return to their apartment for fear of the health of their loved ones. Or maybe you need to bring new medical services to the city – my door is open for them.

“I will of course make the apartments available for free. We have just finished installing the last necessary equipment and the apartments will be available from Tuesday.”

The apartments are in the historic city of Toruń in Poland.

Poland has seen a relatively low number of coronavirus cases compared with the rest of Europe, with 4,000 confirmed infections and 98 deaths, but the numbers have continued to rise since mid-March.

Over the weekend, news emerged that Welsh pro Luke Rowe had donated a bike to an NHS doctor who was the victim of thieves while working in the intensive care unit.

Tom Roberts took to Twitter after his bike was stolen from the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, which prompted Rowe to get in touch and offer a replacement machine.

>>> Brompton commit to delivering 1,000 bikes to NHS key workers 

The Team Ineos pair are not the only riders doing their part during the coronavirus crisis, as Astana’s Davide Martinelli has been acting as a bike courier to help the elderly on lockdown in his home village.

The Italian has been transporting supplies from the nearest town back to those in need in the village of Lodetto in Lombardy.

A flood of tributes have already poured in to “true inspiration” Nicolas Portal after his death, aged 40.

The former pro and Team Ineos sports director was a hugely popular figured both inside and outside the peloton and the death has hit the cycling world hard.

Riders from Team Ineos and those in the media who knew portal have spoke of his “humility, passion and energy.”

Former world champion Michał Kwiatkowski said: “I don’t want to believe it. Always smiling, always fit, always full of energy. Life is not fair. My thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Nico.”

Brit Tao Geoghegan Hart said: “I never met someone Nico didn’t have time for. I never met someone who didn’t think the world of Nico. He was a true inspiration. His energy, his humility, his passion for life shone so brightly.

“Nico Portal, it was an honour to work with you. We will all miss you immensely.”

Their fellow Team Ineos rider Salvatore Puccio said: “The news you never want to hear, RIP Nico.”

Peter Kennaugh, a former Team Sky rider who said Portal was his first room-mate as a pro, added: “I can’t believe the news of Nico Portal passing away. My thoughts and love are with his family, who he cherished more than anything.

“The friendliest most genuine, kind person you could ever wish to meet. Words can’t explain how much he will be missed.”

News emerged on Tuesday evening (March 3) that Frenchman Portal had died suddenly at his home in Andorra.

Reports say that Portal, who rode as a professional from 2001 until 2010, died from a heart attack.

After starting his career with Ag2r Prévoyance, he went on to ride for Caisse d’Epargne before seeing out the final year of his racing career with Sky Procycling.

But it was as a tactician and DS that Portal found his true calling, as he became an integral part of Team Sky, later Team Ineos, as a Grand Tour winning machine.

Deceuninck – Quick-Step said on Twitter: “We are in shock and saddened by this dreadful. Our heartfelt condolences and thoughts go to Team Ineos, the family and friends of Nicolas Portal, a man who loved life and cycling, but was taken too soon from this world.”

Lotto-Soudal said: “So sad to hear the shocking news that Team Ineos team director Nicolas Portal passed away. Just 40 years old. So unfair. Big thoughts to his family and team.”

Alex Dowsett, a former Team Sky rider now with Israel Start-Up Nation, said: “Devastated to hear this. Thoughts with you all, Nico’s family and friends. RIP.”

Cycling journalist Orla Chennaoui said: “Nico Portal was a rare being in professional sport – a gentleman who always had time and a smile for everyone.

“I first met him as a rider and through all his success as a DS he never seemed to change.

“A kindly father and father figure. My heart goes out to his family and the team.”

Michał Kwiatkowski will skip his next race after struggling through the 2019 season, which resulted in a disappointing performance at the Tour de France.

The Team Ineos all-rounder, a Monument winner who has been one of the team’s most valuable assets in recent Tours, hasn’t won a race this year.

Kwiatkowski was unrecognisable at this year’s Tour de France, being dropped early on the climbs where he had previously been an engine for Team Ineos deep into mountain stages.

>>> Still not clear when Wout van Aert will race again after Tour de France crash

He will now skip his home race, the Tour of Poland, saying this season “has not been what he dreamed of.”

The 29-year-old said: “I’m not a guy who likes to change his plans but unfortunately this is one of those moments.

“As much as I love the Tour of Poland and cherish from last year, I will not participate in this year’s edition. Straight after finishing the Tour de France I know now that my body has needed to recover for a long time.

“So far this hasn’t been the season I was dreaming of and this is a good time for reflection and thinking about my preparation.

“Hopefully soon I will be able to find a joy from riding my bike and I’m sure that from there on I will win some big races again.”

Kwiatkowski, who won the 2018 edition of the Tour of Poland, said he thinks the combination of heavy racing last season and the training to improve on his results in 2019 may have contributed to his poor performance this year.

>>> Tom Dumoulin’s departure from Sunweb ‘far from settled’

The former world champion had been consistently stepping up in recent years, winning Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo in 2017 before focusing on stage races in 2018, winning the Volta Ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour of Poland.

Kwiatkowski hopes to become a Grand Tour contender, having led Team Sky at last year’s Vuelta a España, but only finishing 43rd overall.

Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas appears to have emerged relatively unscathed from a big crash that took down a significant part of the bunch during the final kilometres of the third stage at the Tour of the Basque Country.

The Briton fell with a number of his Sky team-mates, including Michał Kwiatkowski, with Deceuninck-Quick-Step's stage two winner Julian Alaphilippe and his team-mate Enric Mas also among those affected.

>>> Maximilian Schachmann takes stage win and extends lead on stage three of Tour of the Basque Country 2019

According to Sky director Gabriel Rasch, the initial prognosis for Thomas and Kwiatkowski is positive.

“G and Kwiato are OK, they’ve just lost the time on GC,” Rasch told Cycling Weekly at the finish. “They fell pretty hard, but they look OK now. For sure, they will both start tomorrow. The team doctor sees them every night and every morning so they’ll get checked over before then.”

The news was not so good, though, for Sky’s Jonathan Castroviejo, who was one of several riders who received treatment for several minutes after the crash.

“Castro is the worst affected and is on his way to the hospital. It could be a collarbone, a shoulder or just the impact of the crash. We don’t know yet,” said Rasch, who didn’t know what had caused the impact in the first place.

“The last 10k were very open. We knew it was going to be like that and so did everyone else, so everyone wanted to be at the front in case the wind had an impact,” he explained.

“The road also narrowed a lot with about 5k to go and that was another reason to be towards the front. I don’t think there was any special reason for the crash. There wasn’t anything in the road or anything like that, it was just one of those unlucky ones that happens.

“The road was three or four lanes wide where it happened. The guys were all together and ready to move up before that narrower section with 5k to go. That’s why they all went down together. I don’t think there was anything wrong with their position. Alaphilippe also went down because he was in the same position. It was just unlucky.”

Alaphilippe and Mas also finished, the Frenchman with an extensive wound on his hip.

“We don’t think he has broken anything,” said Deceuninck-Quick-Step directeur sportif Klaas Lodewyck.

“The main goal for us was to put him on the bike and get him to the finish line. Now the doctor will look into what could be wrong and then we’ll see tomorrow morning how he feels and decide what we’ll do.”

Lodewyck said the team’s main concern is Alaphilippe’s condition with a view to the upcoming Ardennes Classics, for which he is the outstanding favourite given his outstanding form this season.

“That he has made it to the finish on the bike is already a good thing, but now we just need to be sure because the Ardennes, our big goals, are coming up.

“It’s hard to tell what happened,” Lodewyck added. “The guys were all in a good position in front and suddenly the peloton swings from the right side to the left side. [Enric] Mas told us a guy tried to get in between and pushed too hard and his front wheel went away and, boom, there he goes.”

Michał Kwiatkowski said he is ‘100 per cent sure’ Team Sky will find a new sponsor.

The Polish star is contracted with Sky until 2020 but is being pursued by WorldTour outfit CCC Team, who are searching for a star rider.

British outfit Sky are due to lose their main backer at the end of the season, after the takeover of Sky plc by American communication giant Comcast.

The team may already have a sponsor lined up, as a sports director recently hinted that an announcement could be made ahead of the Giro d’Italia in May.

>>> Tom Dumoulin: ‘I don’t need Tirreno-Adriatico to do well in the Giro’

Kwiatkowski, 28, said: “Of course sponsors coming and going is part of the sport.

“It’s a pity Sky is leaving after so many great years.

“I can only ride my bike and I can only try to achieve more and more results.

“This is what I’m aiming for and hopefully this can bring a big partner to the team.

“I’m 100 per cent sure it will happen sooner or later.”

Earlier this month, Sky sports director Matteo Tosatto said a new deal with a backer could be complete by the start of the Giro.

The Italian DS said the new sponsor is not a Colombian oil firm as previously suggested, but instead will be a European company.

Sky’s pro cycling sponsorship which dates back to 2009, will come to an end after the 2019 season.

Reports emerged earlier this year suggesting that Team Sky’s new parent company Comcast could continue to part sponsor the team beyond 2019.

The company reportedly offered Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford enough cash to fund 70 per cent of the budget for the 2020 and 2021 season, giving him the opportunity to find the remainder from another sponsor.

Rumours also suggested that a merger with Pro Continental team Israel Cycling Academy could be on the cards, as Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams hopes to take his team to the Tour de France by 2020.

>>> ‘It was definitely worth getting a bit fat & enjoying it post-Tour’ says Geraint Thomas

Another recent report suggested Russian tycoon Oleg Tinkov had made an offer to Team Sky after he left cycling behind in 2016.

But Tinkov called the suggestion “bulls**t.”

Polish champion Kwiatkowski is being pursued by CCC Team, a WorldTour outfit from his country.

The team, formed from the remains of BMC Racing at the end of 2018, has been vocal about it’s pursuit of the Milan-San Remo winner, saying he is their “priority.”

CCC do not have a star leader for stage races after the departure of Richie Porte for Trek-Segafredo as BMC's future came into doubt.

Instead, the team look for Classics success from Greg Van Avermaet and chase stage wins elsewhere.

On his future, Kwiatkowski said: “CCC are aiming to get a leader from Poland, but for the moment I still have a contract until 2020 at Sky.

“We talk a lot about the future with the team. If everything goes well with the sponsor I’ll just do my job.

“I will try to push forward with what we are planning for next year.

“So far everything is great.”

Michał Kwiatkowski believes he has the ability to win the Tour de France and hopes to mirror the success of team-mate Geraint Thomas.

The Polish all-rounder, Team Sky’s co-leader at the UAE Tour, says he hopes to continue progressing until he has the opportunity to win a Grand Tour.

Kwiatkowski and team-mate Gianni Moscon are sharing responsibilities in the Middle East after Chris Froome pulled out last week.

>>> Marcel Kittel: ‘I’ve learned that your career doesn’t always go upwards’

When asked if he believed he had the potential to win a Grand Tour, the former world champion told Cycling Weekly: “Definitely. It’s a matter of progression on the climbs, being able to maintain the form throughout, and being solid for the three weeks.

“Right now I’m going in the right direction, and let’s hope I can step-by-step win stage races.

“One day there will be a moment when I’m able to fight like G [Geraint Thomas].

“He had different goals in his life but he was always working hard.

“Last year it just worked out perfectly.

“So he used opportunity which life gave him, which he created himself.

“Let’s hope one day I will be able to do the same.”

>>> Tadej Pogacar survives dangerous attacks to win the 2019 Volta ao Algarve

Kwiatkowski’s skills have allowed him to build a stellar palmarès of one-day victories, including two wins at Strade Bianche, and success at E3 Harelbeke, Amstel Gold Race, and Milan-San Remo in 2017, his first Monument.

He also became world champion in 2014.

But last season, the 28-year-old proved himself as a quality stage racer, winning the Volta ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico and home race the Tour of Poland.

Kwiatkowski is also an invaluable lieutenant to Chris Froome at the Tour de France, routinely sacrificing his form in service of the four-time Tour winner.

At the end of 2018, he was given his first opportunity to lead a Sky squad at a Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España.

He wore the leader’s jersey for three stages, but crashes and ailing form in the late season hindered his performance.

But after leaving without a stage victory and finishing 43^rd overall, Kwiatkowski was optimistic about his performance: “I had the opportunity and I had a really great time.

“It was a pity I didn’t win any stages. I had some bad luck but that’s how it is in cycling.

“I rode as a leader as I’m racing as leader right now in UAE.

“It was a way of preparing. It was nice to wear the red jersey and nice to have the full support of the team, but I was training from October [2017] for San Remo preparation

“I had different goals.”

Michal Kwiatkowski is targeting a second Monument to add to his already glowing palmarès at this year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The Polish national champion has been consistently strong in the Ardennes throughout his career and is hoping to improve on his past podium finishes.

As well as a strong Classics showing, Kwiatkowski is also looking ahead to the Tour de France and the Yorkshire 2019 World Championships, where he hopes to compete for a second rainbow jersey.

>>> Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas target Tour de France as Egan Bernal leads team at Giro d’Italia

The 28-year-old Team Sky all-rounder said: “My main goal for the first part of the season is to be in the best shape possible for the Ardennes.

“Let’s hope I can be up there amongst the best riders to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

“There are some races which you chase for a very long time and want to win, like Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which I still want to win one day.

“It was the same with Milan-San Remo until I won it in 2017 and it was the same situation with the Tour of Poland.”

Kwiatkowski has shown his versatility in recent years, with wins in Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and San Sebastian in 2017, followed by general classification wins at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of Poland and Volta ao Algarve last year.

He has also been a powerful asset for Team Sky at the Tour de France, supporting Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas to yellow jersey triumph.

In 2018, he was given his first chance at GC leadership during the Vuelta a España, holding the red jersey for three days before crashes hampered his overall hopes.

Kwiatkowski said: “On reflection, the 2018 season was amazing for me, winning three stage races, which was a big thing for me.

“Winning stage races was not my main goal, but it was great to get such great results and get the first wins for Team Sky.”

The 2014 World Champion will start his 2019 season slightly later at the UAE Tour in February, followed by Paris-Nice and Pais Vasco.

>>> CCC Team say signing Michał Kwiatkowski from Team Sky ‘is our priority’ 

Kwiatkowski said he would also be keen to race the Tour de Yorkshire in May ahead of the Worlds later this year.

He said: “It’s in my race programme to do the Worlds in Yorkshire, and looking at the World Championship course, which is nearly 300km, I would like to be in the best shape to compete with the best riders in the world.

“I know it’s going to be a difficult race and the weather at that time of year in that part of England can play a big role.

“One of the possibilities would be to race the Tour de Yorkshire to prepare, but coming so soon after the Ardennes – and with me wanting to be fresh for the Tour de France – it depends how the season goes to whether it fits in around my spring programme.”

Team Sky's Vuelta a España leader Michal Kwiatkowski has vowed to press on in the race after he was brought down in a crash on the road to the formidable Lagos de Covadonga climb.

The Polish national champion went down 25km from the finish line during stage 15 of last Grand Tour of the season, after AG2R La Mondiale's Alexandre Geniez hit the deck in front.

Kwiatkowski has been given the rare opportunity of leading the British team in a three-week race, but his efforts have been hindered by bad luck.

Posting on Twitter after Sunday's stage, the 28-year-old said: "Unfortunately there was no chance to react, when Alex Geniez fell just in the front of me.

"I'm fine and hope that he is as well. Fingers crossed for the bad luck to be over this season."

Sky confirmed their mountain domestique-turned leader was involved in the stage 15 crash after a touch of wheels in the peloton.

The Sky all-rounder is still bandaged after a crash near the final of stage seven in this Vuelta, when he and teammates Sergio Henao and Tao Geoghegan Hart all came down on a descent.

Kwiatkowski is well out of GC contention, 23 minutes behind British leader Simon Yates and currently in 73rd place heading into the final rest day.

Sky's first rider across the line was Colombian Sergio Henao in 21st place, followed by David de la Cruz nine seconds later in 27th.

Kwiatkowski's fall from the overall top 10 has left him free to be more active in the race.

On stage 14, he rode out front for most of the 171km stage as part of a six-man breakaway.

The gamble resulted in the Pole losing time and slipping back to 20th position.

Riders now face a 32km time trial on the back of the rest day when the Vuelta returns on Tuesday.

Michal Kwiatkowski's Vuelta a España 2018 overall hopes took a hit, but he still dreams of developing like Sky team-mate Geraint Thomas into a Grand Tour winner.

The Polish former world champion lost 2-04 minutes on Sunday, suffering from a crash two days earlier. However, with Chris Froome and Thomas away, he is using this as his opportunity to lead Team Sky in a Grand Tour.

>>> ‘Everything should stop somewhere’: Sagan plays down chances of continuing Worlds streak on difficult climbing course

"No, it's not the be or the not to be a GC rider," Kwiatkowski told Cycling Weekly on the start line of stage 11.

He won the worlds in 2014, Milan-San Remo and week long stage races. Now, he and Sky are pushing toward the overall of Grand Tours.

"Of course, it's the next step and in the future I will try to go for GC more in stage races. I will. I want to. It is something that drives me and doesn't stop me from winning Classics."

Kwiatkowski just came from the Tour de France a month a go, where he helped Thomas complete his transformation from track/Classics rider to Tour winner.

"Of course, Geraint Thomas is the best example," added Kwiatkowski. "If you work hard and wait, you are patient, and you believe in what you are doing, and you can achieve that big goal. Sooner or later are able to achieve it, especially when you are in Team Sky. Which is the team that supports perfectly GC riders and aims mostly for GC in Grand Tours."

Team Sky helped Bradley Wiggins to make the transformation and to give the Tour its first British winner. They developed Froome into Grand Tour winning machine, counting six so far, and now Thomas has one win under his belt.

Who will be next? Maybe Tao Geoghegan Hart, Egan Bernal or Pavel Sivakov could lead Sky to victory. For now, the team is working with someone who has more experience. Among Kwiatkowski's palmarès are challenging week-long stage races like Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of Poland, both from the 2018 season.

"It's kind of a new path and challenge, but I don't feel any pressure. I know what I've done this season. It's not a milestone in my season," he continued.

"I come here for the results of course and it's important for me to bring success to the Team Sky. We had a great start even if not the best end to the first week, but there are still two weeks to go and we look forward to opportunities."

Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) waited at the start line in the red jersey. He leads the race over a couple of Team Movistar riders, Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana. Kwiatkowski, who wears the white and red Polish national champion's jersey, sits 15th overall at 2-10.

In the big mountains starting on Friday, his goal is to ride with the race's best climbers again even if he still has some pain on his left side.

"I want to stay with the best climbers up in the front. I am still thinking of hanging out there because as I said before the race it's a new experience to race the GC in a Grand Tour and a second Grand Tour in one year. It's kind of development for the future."

Michal Kwiatkowski says he is disappointed not to take the victory in the opening time trial of the Vuelta a España, but said there was nothing he could do against an 'unbeatable' Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing).

Dennis stormed to victory on the short 8km course of the time trial in Malaga, averaging over 49.6kph to beat the Team Sky man into second by just six seconds.

It's the second time this year Dennis has taken the leader's jersey in a Grand Tour after winning an opening time trial, taking pink after the first day of the Giro d'Italia in Israel.

While Kwiatkowski was left frustrated to miss out on an early victory in the Vuelta, he sits in an advantageous position already in the quest for the general classification. Ultimately though, the Pole says his aim was to win and take red on Saturday.

"It was a good ride from me but at the end of the day not good enough to win," Kwiatkowski said post race.

"Congratulations to Rohan Dennis for such an impressive ride. He was unbeatable today I would say. I gave it my best and I was trying to win the stage, having the split times of [Jonathan] Castroviejo and the other guys.

"I was happy with my ride but at the end of the day chapeau to Rohan.

"We are racing to win the races so of course when you are there on the hot seat you have to feel disappointment. It's in our genes to try to win. But the Vuelta is three weeks long so I'm looking forward to the next days."

Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) and Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) were the best finishing climbers after opening stage, finishing 22 seconds down on Dennis and now 16 seconds behind Kwiatkowski.

More established Grand Tour contenders like Richie Porte (BMC Racing) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) are already significantly down on the leader at 51 seconds and 40 seconds respectively.

28-year-old Kwiatkowski will be favourite to depose Dennis of the red jersey in the coming road stages, with a difficult introduction for the riders already coming on stage two with a category three finish Cominito del Rey.

"I think we can be really happy. We've had a good start. Kwiato was so close to the win," Team Sky sport director Gabriel Rasch said.

"I think he got everything out more or less. Rohan Dennis was just too fast. Then those young guys, Tao [Geoghegan Hart], Pavel [Sivakov], Dylan [van Baarle] all did a super time trial and they really showed they deserve to be here and they are really promising talents for the future.

"It's a big step up in their career and for the years to come."

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) won the 2018 Tour of Poland, beating Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) to the final yellow jersey.

The Pole took control of the race on stage four, the first of two stages he won of the seven stage race. Here's how the race unfolded:

Stage one | Krakow - Krakow | 134km

In a battle between two of the peloton’s most promising young sprinters, Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) got the better of Alvaro Hodeg (Quick-Step Floors) to win the opening stage and become the race’s first yellow jersey wearer. Quick-Step Floors produced a typically proficient lead-out at the finish in Krakow but Hodeg had no response when Ackermann jumped from his back wheel over 200 metres from the line.

The victory extended a terrific run of form for the 24-year old German, who had triumphed at both Ride London and the German national championships on his last two days of racing.

1 Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

2 Alvaro Hodeg (Quick-Step Floors)

3 Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott)

Overall leader: Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Stage two | Tarnowskie Góry - Katowice | 144km

Ackermann continued his dream start to the Tour of Poland by making it two-in-two with another bunch sprint victory, albeit in a very style.

The sprinters were nearly denied, however, when a flurry of riders - among them a couple from the Poland National Team, as well as Hodeg’s lead-out man Michael Morkov - found themselves off the front in the final kilometre. It took a bold manoeuvre from Ackermann to weave across them and squeeze through a gap for him to win the stage, with Hodeg on his wheel to claim second-place again.

1 Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

2 Alvaro Hodeg (Quick-Step Floors)

3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo)

Overall leader: Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Stage three | Silesian Stadium, Chorzów - Zabrze | 139km

Having narrowly missed out in each of the previous two stages, Hodeg made it third time lucky with victory in Zabrze. The Colombian benefited from a superb lead-out from Morkov, who caught Ackermann and a host of other sprinters off-guard with a burst of acceleration and swerve to the left-hand side of the road. Hodeg was thus able to start his sprint a few bike lengths ahead of everyone else, and managed to hold off a charge from Dan McLay (EF Education First-Drapac) to win the sprint.

1 Alvaro Hodeg (Quick-Step Floors)

2 Dan McLay (EF Education First-Drapac)

3 Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal)

Overall leader: Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Stage four | Jaworzno - Szczyrk | 179km

Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) took control of the Tour of Poland on the first GC stage of the race, winning the stage and becoming the new overall leader.

On a steep uphill finish, he was the rider who timed his move to perfection. Richard Carapaz (Movistar) attacked at the start of the climb with one kilometre left to ride, and managed to build a lead that looked like it might be enough to win the stage, but tired as the gradient became even steeper and was caught 300 metres from the line.

In response, Dylan Teuns (BMC) opened up his sprint, carrying Kwiatkowski on his wheel, who came past him on a final corner to the line to win the stage.

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

2 Dylan Teuns (BMC)

3 George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo)

Overall leader: Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

Stage five | Wieliczka Salt Mine - Bielsko-Biala | 152km

Michal Kwiatkowski strengthened his grip on the yellow jersey with a second successive stage win, this time in a draggy uphill sprint.

A hilly stage had drastically reduced the size of the peloton, although winner of the first two sprints Pascal Ackermann remained in contention. He latched onto Kwiatkowski’s wheel on the finishing straight and pushed him close, but eventually faded in a slow-motion sprint that seemed to last an eternity, while a late charge by Teuns fell just short.

The bonus seconds gained on the line meant that Kwiatkowski extended his lead in the overall to 12 seconds ahead of Teuns.

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

2 Dylan Teuns (BMC)

3 Enrico Battaglin (LottoNL-Jumbo)

Overall leader: Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

Stage six | Zakopane - Bukovina Resort | 130km

Groupama-FDJ executed a clever tactical ploy in the final kilometres to win stage six of the Tour of Poland, with domestique Georg Preidler attacking from a small group of favourites 700 metres from the line, while team leader Thibaut Pinot marshalled the others. Preidler managed to build just enough of a lead on the downhill to the line to hold on for stage victory.

Behind, Kwiatkowski sprinted for third from the group of favourites to further extend his overall lead to 16 seconds, but not before having been put under pressure by George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo). The New Zealander attacked multiple times on the final climb, but was unable to stay clear, and was reeled in with just over a kilometre to go after a burst of pace from Teuns.

1 Georg Preidler (Groupama-FDJ)

2 Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)

3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

Overall leader: Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

Stage seven | Bukovina Resort - Bukowina Tatrzanska | 136km

Simon Yates won the final stage of the Tour of Poland, but wasn’t quite able to dethrone Kwiatkowski, who was crowned overall champion by 15 seconds.

Lying in ninth place on GC at 39 seconds, Yates attacked on the penultimate climb and managed to get a gap. By the time he was 30 seconds up the road, Kwiatkowski’s lead was in serious danger, but the Sky rider remained calm and was aided by other riders (including George Bennett, who had attacked earlier, and Thibaut Pinot) in the group of favourites who took to the front and upped the pace as the finish line approached.

The group ultimately arrived at the line 12 seconds after Yates, enough for the Briton to move up to second overall, but not enough for him to stop Kwiatkowski from sealing the yellow jersey.

1 Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)

2 Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ)

3 Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Final Overall classification

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Sky, in 24-23-54

2 Simon Yates (GBr) (Mitchelton-Scott at 15 secs

3 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) (Groupama-FDJ at 20 secs

4 George Bennett (NZl) (LottoNL-Jumbo at 24 secs

5 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC at 27 secs

6 Georg Preidler (Aut) Groupama-FDJ at same time

7 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe at 32 secs

8 Fabio Aru (Ita) UAE Emirates at 40 secs

9 Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe at same time

10 Sam Oomen (Ned) Sunweb at 42 secs

Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) took victory on one of the few sprint days at the 2018 Critérium du Dauphiné, out-pacing Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and stage one winner Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) to the line.

Race leader Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) came down hard in a crash with 1.3km remaining on the stage, but was able to get up and ride in to the finish by himself. The Pole lost his race lead however after time bonuses on stage one and today move South African Impey into the overall lead by two seconds over Kwiatkowski.

With a small group of sprinters taking part in this year's Dauphiné, the final sprint saw Classics man Oliver Naesen (Ag2r La Mondiale) try his hand with an early effort, but he quickly saw himself overtaken by Ackermann and Boasson Hagen towards the line, with Impey making a later move for third place.

German Ackermann was able to hold his speed though, and Norwegian Boasson Hagen could do nothing to stop him from riding to victory over the line in Belleville en Beaujolais.

How it happened

Ahead of Wednesday's team time trial and four difficult days in the mountains, the riders faced a slightly more straightforward day on stage two of the race, albeit with four classified climbs en route to the finish.

The last of those would be crested with around 30km to go, meaning it could be a rare day for the sprinters at the Dauphiné.

A brave quartet of riders still went up the road early in the day though, with Nikita Stalnov (Astana), Antoine Duchesne (Groupama-FDJ), Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fortuneo-Samsic) and Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) forming the day's main breakaway with a maximum gap of 6-40.

The peloton seemed content to let the four stay away for most of the day and fight it out over the climbs for KoM points, with the gap gradually decreasing as the race approached the closing 50km.

One of the day's main favourites Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept) was the biggest casualty of the day's climbs, getting dropped over the summit of the final ascent with 30km to go and eventually dropping to 1-30 behind the leading group.

The break however, continued on, and the trio of Périchon, Duchesne and Stalnov held just 25 seconds with 15km to go.

The was quickly swallowed up, and with 9km to go Stalnov bravely pushed on alone to try and hold out for victory.

With Mitchelton-Scott and Bora working hard on the front of the peloton to set up a sprint, the Astana man was in for a difficult time if he was going to make it stick, but held out until 1km to go before being retrieved by the bunch.

It was then down to a bunch sprint, with Ackermann the fastest of them all to take victory. With Kwiatkowski out of contention after taking a tumble with 1.3km to go, Impey was able to sprint in for third place and take four bonus seconds to move into the overall lead.

Wednesday's stage three will the riders take on a 35km team time trial from Pont-de-Vaux to Louhans-Châteaurenaud.

Results

Critérium du Dauphiné 2018, stage two: Montbrison - Belleville en Beaujolais (180.5km)

1 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 4-19-57

2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data

3 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott

4 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale

5 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal

6 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits

7 Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty-Groupe Gobert

8 Patrick Bevin (NZl) BMC Racing Team

9 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo

10 Romain Hardy (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic, all same time

General classification after stage two

1 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott, in 8-51-46

2 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, at 2s

3 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky, at 5s

4 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors, at 9s

5 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors, at 10s

6 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal, at 11s

7 Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp) Team Sky

8 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team, at 13s

9 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data, at 14s

10 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team, at 17s

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky), racing the Tour of Flanders Sunday, fine-tuned his spring campaign knowing that he could not risk his Ardennes Classics run with all the cobbled Classics beforehand.

He took a two-week break after Milan-San Remo, preferring not to race the other cobbled Classics E3 Harelbeke, Ghent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen favoured by his Flanders rivals.

>>> Vincenzo Nibali: ‘I’m not going to risk my season in the Tour of Flanders’

"Of course my biggest goal this year is to be in really good shape in the Ardennes, so I was thinking what I should do to be in the best shape," Team Sky's Polish star said.

"I was watching those races. There are no regrets that I wasn't here. It was the best decision to skip those races because they look really tough and that was some hard racing which I would probably never recovered from."

Kwiatkowski won the Volta ao Algarve and Tirreno-Adriatico stage races this season so far. Taking time off after Milan-San Remo, allows him to arrive ready for three-week run that includes the Tour of Flanders, the Vuelta al País Vasco stage race starting the next day in Spain and the three Ardennes Classics.

Sky chartered a jet to make sure he arrives as fresh as possible in Bilbao for País Vasco.

The rain fell hard and the temperatures remained around 6°C in Belgium over the last week and a half. One of his biggest Ardennes rivals, Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) raced E3 Harelbeke and Ghent-Wevelgem after finishing in San Remo.

Before heading to the Amstel Gold Race, Gilbert will compete in both cobbled Monuments Tour of Flanders, as defending champion, and Paris-Roubaix.

"If I raced Harelbeke all the way though Flanders and, I don't know, País Vasco, I wouldn't have recovered for the Ardennes," he added.

Kwiatkowski rode "heavy sessions" on the Côte d'Azur where he lives, and even began some of those days training early so that he could return home to watch his Flanders rivals.

"I was watching those races and I never took a nap after training," he explained. "When you're out for five or six hours, five o'clock is the time you might normally take a nap, but I was watching the finals so I couldn't. It was exciting racing."

Kwiatkowski skipped Flanders in a successful 2017 season that saw him win Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo, be the star helper for Chris Froome in the Tour de France and finish things off with a Clásica San Sebastián victory.

Flanders insiders have him marked as a favourite, however. In 2016, he made the winning move after the Taaienberg climb that pulled along Peter Sagan and Sep Vanmarcke. Sagan dropped Kwiatkowski on the Oude Kwaremont and Vanmarcke on the Paterberg to win solo in Oudenaarde.

"Of course, in that moment when I launched my move, I thought that I should go earlier because Geraint Thomas was the main leader at that time. I over-estimated my possibilities and the possibilities of Peter Sagan at that time. It was a strange move," said Kwiatkowski.

"If I could do it again, I think, I'd try to save more energy. It was a different sort of race that year as a favourite after winning E3 Harelbeke. It was completely different from my past experience racing for Quick-Step as a supporting rider."

Kwiatkowski will begin Flanders as the leader with star riders supporting including Ian Stannard, Gianni Moscon and new hire Dylan Van Baarle, fourth in 2017.

"I've done everything to prepare myself equipment-wise, there will be no surprise with tyre pressure or anything. I think that's really important to test before you hit the main race which is Flanders," he added.

"The Ardennes is the main objective, but when I'm on the start of Flanders, I won't care."

Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski, last year's Milan-San Remo winner, says that the group "fell asleep" and let Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) ride away to win the 2018 edition along Italy's coast.

Nibali launched an attack on the Poggio, marking a move by Krists Neilands (Israel Cycling Academy) and then riding free with 6.4km remaining.

"We were in the front on the Cipressa and Poggio, but when Nibali went, we fell asleep a little bit there. Pretty much the whole bunch, just let him go and he gained 15 to 20 seconds," Kwiatkowski told Cycling Weekly.

>>> Vincenzo Nibali wins Milan-San Remo with heroic solo attack on the Poggio

"I was surprised that none of the other sprinters' teams were going, they just stopped riding. I thought they were going to make a steady tempo without any slowing down or any crazy accelerations."

Kwiatkowski said that he attacked a couple of times on the Poggio climb, where he was marked by Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and once on the descent, but that Nibali was riding clear.

Former winner Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) had team-mates and Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), who placed second, also had team-mates, while Quick-Step Floors tried to organise for Elia Viviani.

"I thought the sprinters' teams were going to catch him," Kwiatkowski added. "Gianni [Moscon] was there, but after so many kilometres, it's really hard. We could've cooperated more,  but it's up to the sprinters' teams at the end of the day to chase Nibali back. We were only two guys, but there were other teams with more than two. What can we do?"

>>> Vincenzo Nibali: 'The final kilometres were endless. It was pur suffering'

Team Sky lost Lukasz Wisniowski in a crash, but Kwiatkowski relied on his other team-mates, including Luke Rowe battling back from a leg fracture last summer.

"Luke Rowe was impressive, chasing the break all day and then working on the Capo Mele, Capo Cervo and Capo Berta," Kwiatkowski continued.

"I felt great the entire race, it was amazing to take the responsibility, we did well with that, we were at the front at the right moments , but it's tricky to be in the game in San Remo, you need to have some luck and really feel the moves, how the peloton is going to go. Nibali was the best today, but I expected something more from myself. It's a pity."

Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) sent a reminder to world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) ahead of Milan-San Remo this Saturday, that sometimes it is better be the smartest and not the strongest in the race.

>>> Peter Sagan: ‘If I win Milan-San Remo like Kwiatkowski, I’m not happy’

Sagan, having narrowly placed second in San Remo last year, on Tuesday criticised Kwiatkowski's style of racing leading to his victory, saying, "If I win like Kwiatkowski, I'm not happy."

The Polish former world champion paused when he heard Sagan's comments read to him in a post Tirreno-Adriatico press conference and then reminded his rival it takes a mix of skills to win.

"I know how it is to race with the rainbow jersey. It's part of the game that he says such a thing," Kwiatkowski said.

"A lot of guys put him under pressure, and they put me under pressure. It's part of the game.

"He's playing mind games? Of course, that's how it is. Sometimes you don't win the race by being the strongest, by you need to be the smartest."

Sagan last year attacked on the Poggio climb and led down hairpins to the seaside road towards San Remo. He looked at his two companions, but only Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) would contribute. Kwiatkowski waited for the kill.

"I prefer to make some show for people and how it's going, it's going," Sagan said. "It doesn't matter if you win or lose."

Kwiatkowski, who won the Tirreno-Adriatico overall after Tuesday's final time trial, added, "In 2016, when they were chasing me back on the Poggio, no one was really complaining. At the end of the day, it matters if you made the right move."

Many name Sagan again the favourite for Milan-San Remo. He finished second already in 2013 and several times top 10. Kwiatkowski, perhaps playing mind games, agreed.

"It's the one and only Peter, he's the biggest favourite from my point of view. Who else? There are always a bunch of guys, you can name 20. When someone is winning, it's no surprise," he added.

"The biggest one is Peter. I saw him yesterday, and how he came back for the sprint [after nearly crashing]. He's the biggest one. I'm just going to name him.

"I'd prefer to race there without any pressure our without being the favourite. It's how you race in the last 100km, the bottom of the Cipressa and Poggio, that's where I'll see for myself

"I want to be in the game again. I was in the game the last two years, I was able to win last year which was amazing. I was able to have a go on the Poggio.

"You need a lot of luck in Milan-San Remo, that's the type of race you deal with. You race for 240km and it can all be gone after a stupid Poggio crash or something.

"I'm confident with my shape before this race, and let's hope the team will be there as they supported me so well last year. I think I'll have the same support this year."

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) wants to win Milan-San Remo this Saturday, but not in the way that Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) did so in 2017.

The three-time world champion attacked on the Poggio climb last year and rode much of the 3.1-kilometre descent and flat into town at the front, but was narrowly beaten in a three-up sprint.

>>> Kwiatkowski to Sagan: ‘Sometimes you win by being the smartest, not the strongest’

Kwiatkowski won ahead of Sagan and Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors).

"Yeah," Sagan said when asked if he was to generous in last year's finale. "But that's also the thing, the way you win. If you analyse how Kwiatko won last year... If I win like that, I'm not happy with my performance. Or we are playing fair or after, it's very easy."

Sagan indicated he would do the same thing again, preferring to "make a show" while winning the first Monument of the 2018 season.

"Well, everyone is different. We have difference personalities, that's life. That's why life is beautiful, everybody is different," he said of Kwiatkowski.

"I prefer to make some show for people and how it's going, it's going. It doesn't matter if you win or lose."

Sagan put on a show on stage six of the Tirreno-Adriatico, chasing back after he had narrowly avoided the crash with Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors).

He bunny-hopped a roundabout and weaved his way through the remaining riders to finish second behind Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin).

Critics often point out that though Sagan is the strongest, he wastes energy with his riding and tactics. He finished the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in central Italy with three second places to his name.

The Slovakian has already finished second in Milan-San Remo to Gerald Ciolek in 2013 and last year, he made a show with his Poggio attack leading to Italy's famous casino town.

Sagan, who knows Kwiatkowski well as they raced together since the junior ranks, said after the loss, "He owes me a few beers."

Sagan faces the same dilemma for Saturday, with rain predicted for the race. If he attacks on the last climbs, he will be marked by riders like Kwiatkowski, Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing). Instead, he could save his show for the sprint.

"The secret [to winning]? I don't know, because I've never won it," said Sagan.

"I don't know how to answer now. Maybe I'm going to be more smart in the Poggio, but [I'll decide] in that moment when I'm there, not now."

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) took the overall victory in the 2018 Tirreno-Adriatico after the Italian race's final time trial stage on Tuesday.

It is the Pole's second overall stage race victory of the year, after he also claimed the Volta ao Algarve in February.

Kwiatkowski concluded the race 24 seconds ahead of second-placed rider overall Damiano Caruso (BMC), with Welshman Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) securing a podium position in third.

Thomas will be left wondering what could have been, after a badly-timed mechanical saw him lose time and the race lead on stage four. Nevertheless, the victory stayed within the Sky team.

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) put in a solid time trial ride to move up from sixth to fifth place overall, with recent Strade Bianche winner Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) leaping up the standings from eighth to fourth.

Rohan Dennis (BMC) won the 10km final time trial stage around San Benedetto Del Tronto with a time of 11 minutes and 14 seconds. The Australian was four second clear of second-placed Jos van Emden (LottoNL-Jumbo) and eight seconds ahead of Spanish time trial champion Jonathan Castroviejo (Team Sky).

How it happened

Dennis – winner of the same stage last year – set the quickest time early on in the day, and had an extended stay in the hot seat as a succession of riders came through the finish line and could not beat his mark.

Van Emden was runner-up last year, and again put in a strong ride to challenge Dennis, coming within four seconds and ultimately settling for second once more.

The rain started to fall heavily as Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) left the start house, dampening the roads and making for a trickier course for the final selection of riders – the top order of the general classification. It was noticeable that none of the top 10 riders overall featured in the top 10 of the stage.

>>> Tirreno-Adriatico 2018: Latest news, reports and race info

Several of the later riders looked as though they were taking it easy around the tight corners on the San Benedetto Del Tronto course, including Nibali and fellow Italian Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates).

Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First-Drapac) started the day in fifth overall, but put in a very cautious performance to lose a significant amount of time and slip to 10th overall.

Although the rain stopped and the sun came out, by the time Thomas started as fourth-to-last rider off, the roads were soaked. Mikel Landa (Movistar), Caruso and Kwiatkowski also went off in the same conditions.

Thomas could not challenge a top 10 time on the slimy roads, but posted a respectable 11-37 to comfortably place himself ahead of former Sky team-mate Landa and relieve him of third place overall.

Many of the riders taking part in Tirreno-Adriatico will now turn their attention to Milan-San Remo on Saturday, March 17. The first Monument of the 2018 cycling season.

Results

Tirreno-Adriatico 2018, stage seven: San Benedetto Del Tronto, 10km ITT

1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing, in 11-14

2. Jos van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 4 secs

3. Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp) Team Sky, at 8 secs

4. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 8 secs

5. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky, at 12 secs

6. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 13 secs

7. Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott, at 13 secs

8. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 17 secs

9. Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 18 secs

10. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky, at 18 secs

Final general classification

1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, at 25-32-56

2. Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing, at 24 secs

3. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky, at 32 secs

4. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 1-06

5. Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott, at 1-10

6. Mikel Landa (Esp) Movistar, at 1-13

7. Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-15

8. Jaime Roson (Esp) Movistar, at 1-15

9. George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 1-16

10. Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac, at 1-22

Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski says that special equipment is unnecessary to win on the muddy, gravel roads of Strade Bianche on Saturday.

He is aiming for a third title when he lines up for the 184-kilometre race to add to his wins in 2014 and 2017. The riders race 63 kilometres on Tuscany's famous white gravel roads, which were covered in snow a few days ago, but have now changed to mud with rising temperatures.

"You feel that you might need [MTB] SPD more than the road pedals, but I'm hoping to do a good race, I hope to not clip out," Kwiatkowski told Cycling Weekly.

>>> There’s less than 24 hours until Strade Bianche, and some of the roads are still covered in ice and snow

"Apart from different tubes, I don't have any special equipment, it's kind of the combination when you are on those gravel roads with a steep climb in the end. Any advantage you can get on the Santa Maria [gravel sector], you can lose it in the end, so you have to find a special balance.

"I believe my normal Pinarello F10 race bike and normal Roubaix 25 Contis is the best I can have. Castelli will provide us some great gloves and equipment to not overheat but keep yourself warm."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pQ0nxvvle8

Many teams will use disc brakes as they already do in normal road races. Kwiatkowski says its unnecessary.

"We don't have any crazy long descents and I find that normal brakes on the Pinarello with Shimano are great and it performs well. I'll race that way, we'll see if the others have advantages, but I don't think so. You have to believe in your bike."

>>> Strade Bianche 2018: Latest news and race info

Strade Bianche first ran in 2007 based on the popular Eroica sportive and quickly gained its place as one of the most popular races thanks to the gravel roads and stunning Tuscan scenery. Fabian Cancellara won the race three times and earned a milestone marker with his name on one of the gravel sectors. Kwiatkowski would get the same if he wins it for a third time on Saturday.

"This race is special for everyone, one of those races where you are 100 per cent sure that the strongest guys are the winner. There's no playing games," Kwiatkowski added.

"And sometimes you see brutal fights from the start, and that's a pity the race is not on TV then. It's a great race, early in the season, a week after the opening weekend and well placed on the calendar. It's going to have a great history."

As if one snowy recon ride in a week wasn't enough, Michal Kwiatkowski is out in the cold once again, this time taking a look at the white gravel roads of Strade Bianche.

On Monday Kwiatkowski was braving blizzard conditions to take a look at the final 30km of Milan-San Remo, and today he was at another Italian race where he is the defending champion, riding the finale of Strade Bianche, which takes place on Saturday.

Posting on Instagram, the Polish rider showed how the white roads are even whiter than normal, with thick coverings of snow and ice on some sections of the unpaved roads.

>>> 'It's too cold to race for five hours. It's unhealthy': Quick-Step doctor calls for shorter races in freezing conditions

However unlike his ride on Monday which was completed in heavy snow, Kwiatkowski and his Team Sky team-mates did at least get to enjoy a bit of blue sky, giving lovely views of the Tuscan countryside, even if the temperature barely rose above freezing.

Kwiatkowski wasn't the only rider out having a look at the route of Strade Bianche ahead of Saturday's race, with Romain Bardet also posting on social media about his recon, although showing it in a rather brighter light.

The good news for the riders is that the temperature is forecast to rise and the snow melt before Saturday's race, meaning that the race won't be run in the same freezing conditions that have hit the Belgian races of Le Samyn and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in recent days.

>>> Cycling in snow and ice: how to stay safe and have fun

The bad news is that, just as was the case in last year's race, heavy rain is scheduled not only on the race day itself, but also on Thursday and Friday, raising the possibility that the race could be run in muddy condition as the white gravel roads turn brown.

If Michal Kwiatkowski doesn't manage to successfully defend his Milan-San Remo title then it won't be for lack of preparation, after the Team Sky rider braved heavy snow and freezing temperatures to complete his recon of the race.

Starting from his base in Roquebrune-Cap Martin just to the east of Monaco, Kwiatkowski rode around 60km along the coast and across the border into Italy, before beginning his recon in the town of San Lorenzo al Mare at the base of the Cipressa climb, which comes with just over 20km to go in the race.

>>> Milan San Remo 2018: Everything you need to know about the year's first Monument

Despite what must have been a nice easterly tailwind as he turned around and started to head back along the coast, Kwiatkowski's Strava stats shows that he covered the climb a full five minutes slower than he managed in the Milan-San Remo peloton 12 months ago.

With the snow falling, you can't blame Kwiatkowski for taking it easy on the descent, which he covered 13kmh slower than in the race as he presumably also took his time to re-familiarise himself with the road.

The Polish rider also took his time up the Poggio, ascending the three kilometre climb at 23.5kmh, more than three minutes slower than he went up it while chasing down Peter Sagan's attack on his way to victory (and also taking the KOM).

After these efforts, Kwiatkowski seems to have given himself a café stop to warm up, before heading out for the final 20km home as the mercury hit -2ºC and the snow fell.

>>> Cycling in snow and ice: how to stay safe

While there is still nearly three weeks to go until Milan-San Remo, which takes part on March 17, forecasters are predicting that there will be no repeat of the snowy conditions which hit Kwiatkowski's recon and the race itself in 2013, when 50km and two major climbs had to be taken out of the route due to heavy snowfall.

At the moment the forecast is for temperatures around 10ºC with very light winds but the chance of rain, although this could of course all change closer to the date.

Michal Kwiatkowski attacked on the final climb of stage five of the Volta ao Algarve to take victory, as well as steal the overall title from Sky team-mate Geraint Thomas.

Kwiatkowski had been part of a large breakaway group that got away early on the mountain stage, and attacked from a reduced bunch with around 2km to go on the final climb.

He beat Ruben Guerreiro (Trek-Segafredo) into second and Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) into third, with the peloton, containing Geraint Thomas, finally crossing the line at 1-47 down.

The Pole had only been at 19 seconds adrift to Thomas at the start of the day, having won the first summit finish on stage two before Thomas won the time trial on Friday.

But Kwiatkowski was able to show he's begun the season in fine form, taking another stage win and the overall victory with it.

How it happened

The day began extremely quickly with riders looking for a last shot at victory, with a 31-man break eventually getting away and putting over four minutes into the bunch containing the race leader.

Riders in the break included Kwiatkowski and his Sky team-mate Michal Golas, as well as Guerreiro and Pauwels, along with big names like Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), and Philippe Gilbert and Zdenek Stybar of Quick-Step Floors.

That group gradually whittled down through the tough day of climbing, with five ascents to take on. The break really fell apart with around 50km to go, with Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) making a break for it alone.

Stybar jumped across with around 28km to go to join Postlberger, with both of them able to keep the chasers at bay by about 30 seconds or so.

As they approached the final climb however, Postlberger was unable to keep the pace and left Stybar up front alone with 11km remaining.

The Czech champion held the chasers of admirably, but the final climb was too much for him and he began to slow.

The reduced break behind was then able to close on him, and with around 2km to go, Kwiatkowski attacked and easily bridged to Stybar, immediately passing him.

Pauwels and Gerreiro made chase, also passing Stybar, but they couldn't do enough to bring back Kwiatkowski, who cruised home for victory at the top of the climb.

Behind, Geraint Thomas came in among a reduced peloton at 1-47, losing his title to his team-mate and dropping into second overall.

Results

Volta ao Algarve 2018, stage five: Faro - Malhão (173.5km)

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, in 4-18-02

2 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo, at 4s

3 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data, at 8s

4 Stefan Kung (Sui) BMC Racing Team at 13s

5 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 15s

6 Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty - Groupe Gobert, at 17s

7 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb, at 17s

8 Julen Amezqueta (Esp) Caja Rural Seguros RGS, at 23s

9 Ben Swift (GBr) (UAE Team Emirates), at 29s

10 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert, at 35s

Final overall classification

1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, in 18-54-11

2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky, at 1-31

3 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team, at 2-16

4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo, at 2-22

5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors, at 2-33

6 Jaime Roson (Esp) Movistar Team, at 2-49

7 Maximillian Schachmann (Ger) Quick-Step Floors, at 2-50

8 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data, at st

9 Felix Grosschartner (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-51

10 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team, at 2-54

Welshman Geraint Thomas and Pole Michal Kwiatkowski will headline Team Sky's line-up for the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal over February 14-18.

Both riders are former overall winners of the race, with Thomas having claimed the victory in 2015 and 2016 and Kwiatkowski in 2014, when he was riding for Omega Pharma-Quick Step.

The pair will be joined by Owain Doull, Kenny Elissonde, Michal Golas, Vasil Kiryienka and Lukasz Wisniowski in Sky's seven-rider line-up, which will see Thomas's 2018 competitive debut.

Primož Roglič (LottoNL-Jumbo) claimed the overall victory in last year's edition of the race, with Kwiatkowski  placing second.

The 2018 Volta ao Algarve comprises five stages, with stage two's summit finish at Fóia, stage five's finale on Alto do Malhão and stage three's 20.3km individual time trial the significant factors in settling the general classification.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AntnS1WXA4

Meanwhile, Sky has also confirmed the list of rider accompanying Chris Froome at his season debut in the Ruta del Sol in Spain over February 14-18.

Froome is joined by a strong team consisting of David de la Cruz, Philip Deignan, Chris Froome, Christian Knees, Wout Poels, Salvatore Puccio and Dylan van Baarle.

>>> Ruta del Sol 2018: Everything you need to know about Chris Froome’s return to racing

The hilly race will be decided by the final day's individual time trial, comprising 14.2 flat kilometres.

Froome is currently waiting to hear the decision on his adverse analytical finding for salbutamol at the 2017 Vuelta a España. He is currently clear to race, and is forging ahead with preparations to ride the Giro d'Italia in May.

Friday's team time trial stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain will be neutralised after heavy rain and high winds rendered the course 'dangerous'.

BMC Racing said via Twitter that race commissaires made the decision in conjunction with the organiser to continue with the stage shortly before the start, but said that the general classification will remain unchanged.

Michal Kiwatkowski and Sep Vanmarcke were among the riders calling for the stage to be cancelled or neutralised due to poor weather conditions.

Team Sky's Kwiatkowski posted a series of tweets on the issue, saying that the TTT would be 'about surviving not winning' in the high winds and flooded roads and that he thought no general classification time should be counted.

Ultimately, Kwiatkowski got his wish, with teams still able to go for the stage win but no danger posed for riders or teams looking for a high overall general classification placing.

Vanmarcke of the EF Education First-Drapac team said he thought that the TTT course was 'dangerous', and said: "It's the start of the season, not needed to take risks".

LottoNL-Jumbo rider Koen Bouwman posted a video of the weather conditions on Twitter, clearly showing high winds and heavy rain.

The stage three team time trial starts in Benitatxell and finishes in Calpe, and comprises 23.2 kilometres.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) is the leader of the race going into the TTT after winning the previous day's stage from a three-rider escape group – and his continued position at the top of the leaderboard after Friday's stage is now secure.

Valverde's Movistar team are scheduled to be the last team off at 15:44 local time. The Inteja Dominican Cycling Team are the first squad off at 14:32 local time.

The 2018 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana concludes on Sunday, February 4.

Michal Kwiatkowski enjoyed his most successful year as a professional rider in 2017 with Team Sky, but says he'll do everything to try and top it despite admitting that it'll be a 'difficult' challenge.

The Pole had a storming spring campaign last year, claiming victory in Strade Bianche before winning his first Monument at Milan-San Remo. He followed that up with podiums in the Ardennes; second place behind Philippe Gilbert at the Amstel Gold Race and third behind Alejandro Valverde and Dan Martin at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Kwiatkowski then put aside his own ambitions to help Chris Froome to a fourth Tour de France title, performing superbly as a super domestique throughout the three weeks. It was back to winning ways shortly after though, with victory in the prestigious Clásica San Sebastián in August.

The 27-year-old, who won the World Championships road race in 2014 before moving to Team Sky in 2016 from Quick-Step, says he'll be looking for further improvement in the coming season and potentially adding further Monument titles to his palmarès. He's set to begin his season at the end of this month with the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain.

“If you think about the next season then the first thing you are thinking about is improvements," Kwiatkowski said.

David de la Cruz: 'Team Sky is the best place for me to realise my Grand Tour ambitions'

Wout Poels: 'I haven't spoken much with Froome. He's got other things to do at the moment'

"Of course it can be difficult to repeat the results I got in 2017, but of course I will be there to train harder, to race better, to race smarter.

"Let’s hope that will bring even more victories than I had. If you look at my race calendar for sure that’s going to be quite similar to the previous season. Of course in the first part I’d love to aim to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège – a race I still haven’t been able to win in my career. That’s going to be the first big goal. On top of that races like Strade Bianche and (Milan-) San Remo again."

In his first year at Sky, Kwiatkowski showed immediate success with victory early in the season on the cobbles at E3 Harelbeke before going on with hopes of victory at the Tour of Flanders. His season began to decline from there though, and he showed poor form in his fleeting appearances through the summer and was unable to finish the Vuelta a España.

He said Sky didn't give up on him despite his underwhelming start with the team, and thanks to his rejuvenation in 2017, is now plotting a return to the cobbled Classics and a potential top-spot in Flanders before potential back to back Grand Tour rides at the Tour and Vuelta.

"I hope in 2018 to be back on the cobbles, and Tour of Flanders is a race I hope I can race again," Kwiatkowski said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MZnliChhNs

"That’s the first part of the year, and then there’s the Tour and I’d love to be back racing with Team Sky for the victory. I think a big change would be if I could put a second Grand Tour in a single season. So after the Tour let’s hope I can race the Vuelta and then prepare as best as I can for the World Champs in Austria.

“I was just missing cobbles," he added.

"Classics for me are pure racing and Tour of Flanders is just an amazing race. I was able to race there before, even for Team Sky in 2016, the week before I won (E3) Harelbeke and I was one of the favourites for the win.

"I believe I have the ability to fight for the victory. "

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7. Michal Kwiatkowski

27, Poland, Team Sky

2017 wins: 4

Michal Kwiatkowski signed for Team Sky in 2016 with the team hoping that he would develop into one of the best all-round riders in the peloton. Unfortunately he couldn’t produce that in his debut season last year, but more than made up for it this time round.

The Pole started the year in scintillating fashion, becoming one of the few riders to beat Greg Van Avermaet in the spring as he took his second Strade Bianche victory with a brilliant solo win on the wet white roads of Tuscany.

Also on Italian soil, Kwiatkowski played a cunning tactical game to win his first Monument at Milan-San Remo. Chasing down a Poggio attack from Peter Sagan, Kwiatkowski then sat on the world champion’s wheel, before launching a powerful sprint in the final 200m to take victory in a tight photo finish in one of the best race finales of the 2017 season.

From there, a string of top 10s at the Ardennes Classics gave a glimpse of the climbing legs we always knew he had, before Kwiatkowski transformed himself into a vital domestique for Chris Froome’s assault on the Tour de France.

Effectively two riders in one, Kwiatkowski was able to keep Froome out of trouble on the flat stages, before hitting the front himself in the mountains, setting a high pace and memorably riding himself to a complete standstill on the Col d’Izoard.

Surely a crack at riding a Grand Tour for himself can’t be too far around the corner?

With Il Lombardia being the final race of his 2017 season, Michal Kwiatkowski is able to look back at a successful year and is already beginning to plan for next season too.

After a disappointing 2016, the Team Sky rider has come back with a bang this year, taking victory in Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo in the spring, then playing a key domestique role in Chris Froome's victory at the Tour de France.

Being a strong, punchy rider with a fast sprint, Kwiatkowski has always looked tailormade for success in one-day races, but says that his strong Tour performance was more of a surprise.

“I’ve never had the opportunity to ride for such a big team aiming to win a Grand Tour. It was something I will never forget," Kwiatkowski told TeamSky.com.

"Racing every day, trying not to lose time, fighting until Paris; it was a great experience. I didn’t expect my body to be able to do it so well for three weeks, so that was something new to me. I hope I can do it again!"

>>> Chris Froome should aim to win all three Grand Tours in 2018, says Giro d'Italia director

The Poles's performance had many speculating whether could turn into a Grand Tour contender himself in the future. However Kwiatkowski knows that such a development would take time, setting his sights on following the steady development that Geraint Thomas took on his way to team leadership at this year's Giro d'Italia.

"Of course performing for three weeks as I did gives you a little bit of hope, but to win a Grand Tour you need to be good at time trialling and super good with climbing," the 27-year-old continued.

"If there are any signs that I can progress with those two aspects while not losing my ability to sprint and fight in the wind, then I would like to try.

"First maybe at a stage race like the Critérium du Dauphiné or Paris-Nice, then if the opportunity comes along for sure I would like to look at leading a Grand Tour in the future - just like G has done.

"He’s taken a similar path to me and this year [at the Giro] he was unlucky, but for sure he would have been up there to fight for the GC. He made lots of little steps to prove himself as a leader for a Grand Tour."

>>> Six things to look out for at Il Lombardia

Kwiatkowski's one remaining race in 2017 is Il Lombardia, which takes place on Saturday, but after a long and tiring season he is not talking up his chances.

"I would love to do Lombardia well, but the season has been very long," he continued. "For sure, we will be up there as a team and we will try to do our best to win the race.

"Even if I am not there for the victory I know I can do a lot of work for some of the other guys. We will see how the race goes. It’s the last Monument and of course I would love to do it well, but if any of my team-mates can win it then we will go for it."

Michal Kwiatkowski will stay at Team Sky until at least 2020 after signing a new three-year contract with the British team.

The Polish rider joined Sky in 2016 after four seasons at Etixx-Quick Step and has since transformed himself into a valuable domestique for Chris Froome in the mountains of the Tour de France who is still able to pick up major victories such as Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, and the Clásica San Sebastián in 2017.

"I’m really happy that I have the opportunity to re-sign for the next three years. I’ve had great support from the team for the past two seasons - both last year, when I had a really difficult season, and this year, which has been great," Kwiatkowski said.

"I’ve only been here for one and a half years, but it feels like far longer. That’s what I need - to feel supported, like part of a family, otherwise it can be difficult.

"I’m really happy to be a part of the Team Sky family. I’m looking forward to the future with Team Sky because I believe it’s the best team for my abilities and I truly believe I can win lots more races in the future here."

>>> Luke Rowe: Why Michal Kwiatkowski was the Tour's man of the match

Tour de France winner Chris Froome paid tribute to his team-mate after Kwiatkowski spent many kilometres on the front of the peloton in the services of his team leader through July.

"Kwiato has had a brilliant year. He's obviously had some great wins himself, but to me his performance in the Tour de France epitomised everything about him and what he brings to Team Sky," Froome said.

"As a rider he is just so versatile and selfless. Whether that's riding at the front on the flat, his understanding of how a race is unfolding, getting his teammates into the right position in the sprints or being last man in be mountains.

"He's the definition of an all-round rider and we're lucky to have him."

Kwiatkowski was first touted as a future Grand Tour contender when he wore the white jersey and finished 11th in his first Tour de France in 2013. That climbing potential was shown once again with his work for Froome in the mountains of the 2017 race, but the 27-year-old insisted that Grand Tour leadership will only come if he can prove himself in shorter stage races.

>>> Michal Kwiatkowski: 'Froome thanks me a couple of times a dat at the Tour de France'

"Some people would like to put me in a box and say I should go in this direction, or that direction, but I truly believe it’s all about being patient and doing things step-by-step," Kwiatkowski continued.

"If I continue to work on my climbing and time trialling, if I can perform well in one-week stage races like Paris-Nice and the [Criterium du] Dauphiné, and if there are signs that I could perform well in a Grand Tour, then yes, I will take that chance. I think I am in the best place to do that."

Kwiatkowski is currently at an altitude camp in Italy preparing for a busy end to the season which should see him ride the GP de Plouay, Tour of Britain, the time trial and road race at the World Championships, and Il Lombardia.

Michal Kwiatkowski's exceptional season continued on Saturday (July 29), when he won the Clásica de San Sebastián in Spain.

The Polish Team Sky rider's latest win has propelled him to second in the UCI WorldTour ranking behind leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing).

Kwiatkowski adds San Sebastián to his victories in Milan-San Remo and Strade Bianche earlier this year, as well as podium spots at the Amstel Gold race (second) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (third).

>>> Michal Kwiatkowski wins Clásica San Sebastián 2017

However, Kwiatkowski still has some way to go to close the gap on Belgian Van Avermaet, who was the rider of the early season, grabbing wins in Paris-Roubaix, Ghent-Wevelgem, E3 Harelbeke and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Van Avermaet has 2728 points to Kwiatkowski's 2171.

Sunday's Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic in Britain was the first edition of the race to be elevated to WorldTour status. Norwegian winner Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) moves up nine places to 16th in the latest WorldTour ranking.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) is now third in the WorldTour behind Van Avermaet and Kwiatkowski, with Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Sky) dropping from sixth to seventh.

Kwiatkowski, Van Avermaet and Kristoff rank among the favourites - along with current world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) - for the men's road race World Championship title, to be decided in Bergen, Norway, on September 24. Kwiatkowski won in 2014.

>>> Alexander Kristoff wins RideLondon-Surrey Classic

Team Sky now moves up to second place behind Quick-Step Floors in the WorldTour team ranking, with BMC in third.

The next WorldTour event to have its points added to the ranking is the Tour of Poland, which started on Saturday and concludes on Friday, August 4. After that, we have the Eneco Tour (August 7-13) and the final Grand Tour of the 2017 season, the Vuelta a España (August 19 to September 10).

>>> Full men's and women's 2017 WorldTour calendars and latest news

WorldTour points are awarded for one-day race, tour stage and stage race overall finishing positions for counting events. Points are also given for time spent in the race lead, and winning major classifications (ie King of the Mountains).

The amount of points awarded depends on the ranking of the event. For example, winning the Tour de France overall gives a rider over twice as many points as winning the Eneco Tour overall. Sagan topped the final ranking at the end of the 2016 season.

Watch: Changes to the 2017 WorldTour

Men’s UCI WorldTour ranking (on July 30)

1. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing 2728 points

2. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 2171 pts

3. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar 2105 pts

4. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb 2071 pts

5. Dan Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 2040 pts

6. Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing 1882 pts

7. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky 1824 pts

8. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 1765 pts

9. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar 1711 pts

10. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 1570 pts

Men’s team ranking

1. Quick-Step Floors 10,186 points

2. Team Sky 8675 pts

3. BMC Racing 8517 pts

4. Movistar 6258 pts

5. Orica-Scott 6117 pts

Michal Kwiatkowski continued his fine 2017 form with victory in the the Clásica San Sebastián, beating Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) in a sprint finish to the line.

>>> Peter Sagan makes winning return to racing on Tour of Poland stage one

The former world champion finished of a near perfect team performance from Sky, who setup the final break of five riders with an attack from Mikel Landa on the steep final climb of Alto de Murgil.

Landa went with 1km remaining on the final climb and around 8km to the finish, and was initially followed by Tour de France runner-up Rigoberto Urán (Cannondale-Drapac), who quickly faded.

But former Clásica winner Gallopin was the first rider to bridge across to Landa, before defending champion Mollema counter attacked and also bridged the gap.

Those three topped the climb together, but behind Kwiatkowski had made his move off the peloton along with Giro d'Italia winner Dumoulin.

They sat at around four seconds on the fast descent on the climb, with Kwiatkowski able to bridge to the front three with 3.7km to go and Dumoulin shortly after.

With two riders in play and the peloton at 25 seconds behind, Team Sky looked set for the win as Landa controlled the pace on the front of the bunch into the final kilometres.

He managed to get away just before the final kilometre with Mollema letting the wheel go, and it was Dumoulin who closed him down.

But while the other riders played cat and mouse Kwiatkowski was able to sit in calmly at the rear of the group, with Gallopin launching his sprint first on the right hand side of the road.

The other riders then began their rushes to the line, but it was Kwiatkoski who looked to sail with ease through the middle of them all to calmly take victory a bike length of Gallopin, who takes a second consecutive runner-up spot in the race.

Former world champion Kwiatkowski caps off a near perfect year, which has seen him win at Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and play a pivotal part in helping Chris Froome win a fourth Tour de France title.

The early break

On a long, hot day in the Basque Country, the peloton were happy to sit in and let an early break get up the road while they whittled down the kilometres to the business end of the race.

A break of Sven Erik Bystrøm (Katusha), Loïc Chetout (Cofidis), Jon Ander Insausti (Bahrain-Merida, Mickaël Delage (FDJ), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Christoph Pfingsten (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mathias Le Turnier (Cofidis) got away very early on with around five minutes maximum gap.

But they never looked like a threat to the peloton, with Sky doing a strong job of working on the front along with Orica-Scott for Simon Yates.

The break gradually lost riders and a lot of time as the climbs began to come thick and fast, with remaining rider Erviti caught with 56km to go on the third to final climb.

Another 10-man group got away before the penultimate climb and that swelled over the top to 15 riders.

Quick-Step tried to push things on and they got 21 seconds, but those teams that missed out, including Orica-Scott, eventually brought them back with just under 26km to go.

Sky's Gianni Moscon was able to break from that group though just before they were caught, and began a solo effort that saw him gain 43 second gap over the bunch.

That meant that Sky didn't have to do any work on the front of the bunch before the final climb, with Orica and Lotto-Soudal leading the chase.

Their efforts saw Moscon brought back on the final climb with 10km remaining, which set things up perfectly for Mikel Landa to attack and help deliver victory for Kwiatkowski.

Results

Clásica San Sebastián 2017 (231km)

1. Michal Kwiatkoswki (Pol) Team Sky, in 5-52-53

2. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto-Soudal

3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo

4. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb, all same time

5. Mikel Landa (Esp) Team Sky, at 2s

6. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac, at 28s

7. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ, at 38s

8. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

9. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal

19. Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing, all same time

Michal Kwiatkowski has led Team Sky's Chris Froome through the Tour de France's mountains and out of some sticky situations so far, and says "Froome is thanking him a couple of times a day."

Froome holds a slender lead ahead of three riders tightly packed in the general classification, all within 29 seconds, with the final week ahead. Kwiatkowski, like on the stage 15 to Le Puy-en-Velay with his quick wheel change for Froome, has helped hold that lead.

>>> Romain Bardet offers apology to Chris Froome after yellow jersey booed by fans at Tour de France

"It's just great to hear from Chris, and with his thankful tweets," the Polish rider told Cycling Weekly.

"Even when we see each other, he says 'thank you' a couple of times of day."

Kwiatkowski, 2014 road world champion, developed into a stage racer for week-long races and one-day racer for races like the Ardennes Classics.

In his four years with Quick-Step, he won the Amstel Gold Race, the Volta ao Algarve and of course, the Worlds. He and the Belgian team wondered if he could switch to become a Grand Tour cyclist, but there were doubts.

The 27-year-old suffered in his first year in Team Sky after moving there at the start of 2016. He won the E3 Harelbeke, but his form took a dive through much of the rest of that season.

Kwiatkowski said in March, "There are plenty of reasons. I had health problems, but I was pushing my limits. I wanted to impress everyone in training and everywhere. I'm not like a machine, sooner or later you pay the bill.”

The difficult 2016 season made his mountain rides in this Tour de France much more impressive.

"This year I found the balance, for sure. I was back into shape each year but not for very long time, especially last year, maybe just January, February and March in 2015, then through maybe the Classics, but then it was just worse and worse.

"Also 2014, I didn't have a great Tour de France. And 2013, not a good end of season."

"I needed to find a balance between racing and training. In Team Sky last year I trained so hard, we found that being ambitious with the recon and power meters wasn't the way."

Over the winter, he sat down with head trainer Tim Kerrison and team boss David Brailsford. They decided to back off and, instead of training like Froome or Geraint Thomas, they let Kwiatkowski mix part of Sky's training in with his former methods.

The mix worked. He won the Italian one-day race Strade Bianche in March and then the big one, Monument Milan-San Remo shortly after.

And now, in the Tour de France, he is one of the most visible helpers for three-time winner Chris Froome in the mountains.

"I know that I'm in really good shape, I knew I could deliver, but for sure, I surprised myself with my climbing. I've been feeling great each day and not these gaps after such hard efforts," he added.

"It's great to win big races, but of course, it's also great to change an environment and help someone. When I signed with Sky, I was sure I wanted to be in the Tour team and support Froomey and maybe in the future, I could use it in my own results.

"If you look at G [Geraint Thomas], a great rider coming from the track and made a big step forwards, now leading the Sky team, if there'd be any sign that I could progress in the climbs and in the time trials that I'd be able to lead the team in Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice. It's just step by step."

Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski stormed to victory in the Polish Road National Championships individual time trial, beating the second placed rider Marcin Bialoblocki (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) by 1-15 over the 39.6km course.

>>> British Road National Championships 2017 time trial start list

The 27-year-old former world road race champion clocked 49-42 over the course in Krokowa, claiming his second national time trial title with Bialoblocki in second and defending champion Maciej Bodnar further back at 1-31 in third place.

Kwiatkoski last won the national time trial title in 2014, and having won the road race title in 2013, will be looking to double up again on national championship wins with the road race this weekend.

He'll likely debut his new time trial colours in the opening 14km time trial of the 2017 Tour de France in Düsseldorf, Germany. Though Team Sky are yet to confirm their line-up for the Tour, Kwiatkowski is a strong favourite to line-up in support of Chris Froome after a phenomenal season.

The Pole won his first Monument in an unexpected victory at Milan-San Remo, having taken a second career victory at Strade Bianche not long before in March.

He then narrowly missed out on a second career victory at the Amstel Gold Race, where he finished runner-up to Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step), before rounding of the Ardennes Classics with third place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Kwiatkowski then resumed racing after the Ardennes at the Critérium du Dauphiné in early June, putting in a strong showing in support of Froome in the mountains.

Despite all that, Kwiatkowski said Wednesday's win in his home championships was one of his strongest rides ever.

"Today was one of my best days ever on a bike," he said after the finish.

"I felt very strong from the start, despite it beginning uphill and with a headwind. I had great support from my family and (Team Sky carer) Marek Sawicki."

National championships around the world take place the week, with most time trials taking places on Wednesday and Thursday and road races this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday.

Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) took a fourth career victory at the 2017 Amstel Gold Race, beating another former winner Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) in a two-up sprint for the line.

The pair had broken away from a leading group of seven riders on the final climb of the Bemelerberg, with none of the following riders Sergio Henao (Team Sky), Ion Izaguirre (Bahrain-Merida), Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott), José Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) and Nathan Haas (Dimension Data) able to bridge the gap to join them.

>>> Lizzie Deignan takes second as teammate Anna van der Breggen solos to Amstel Gold Race victory

The pair quickly gained 15 seconds with around 5km to ride, and worked well together until the final kilometre when they began to watch each other for the final sprint.

Gilbert, who has already had a storming season after taking victory in the Tour of Flanders, lead through much of the final kilometre with Milan-San Remo winner Kwiatkowski on his wheel.

But with a slight uphill drag and a headwind to the line, Kwiatkowski decided he would need to go early and launched his sprint from around 200 metres out.

That gave Gilbert enough time to jump on to the Pole's wheel and wait until the final 50 metres where he came round him and jumped ahead to take victory on the line.

Michael Albasini won the sprint behind for third place.

Belgian champion Gilbert is now just one ride behind record holder Jan Raas for the most wins at Amstel, having won the race in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017.

How it happened

The 264.6km day kicked off with a 12-man break that got up the road fairly early on.

Lars Boom (LottoNL-Jumbo), Stijn Vandenbergh (AG2R-La Mondiale), Mads Wurtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin), Tim Ariesen (Roompot), Nikita Stalnov (Astana), Michal Paluta (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Brendan Canty (Cannondale-Drapac), Johann Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Pieter Van Speybrouck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Vincenzo Albanese (Bardiani-CSF), Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) managed to establish a maximum gap of around eight minutes on the peloton before it began to come down.

They still held over three minutes with 80km left in the day, but early impetus from Greg Van Avermaet's BMC teammates brought the quickly down over the next 30km, and much of the breakaway was brought back by 50km remaining.

Several riders attempted to stay away, but nothing was sticking, with decisive attacks likely to come on the seventh from last climb of the day, the Kruisberg.

Lotto-Soudal's Tiesj Benoot was the first to strike out on the climb, followed by Gilbert, with Henao working hard for his leader Kwiatkowski to make sure Sky were in the front group.

Benoot was soon dropped, and eventually those attacks settled into a group of seven riders, with LottoNL-Jumbo's Bart Jan Lindeman joining six of those who would make up the final group that Gilbert and Kwiatkoswki attacked from.

There were notable absences in Kwiatkoswki, Van Avermaet and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who all failed to make it into the group that got away with 40km or so to go.

Van Avermaet, Valverde and Kwiatkowski all began to chase towards the front group, and when they hit the steep slopes of the Keutenberg climb, Kwiatkowski was the only one to be able to bridge the circa 15 second gap to the front six, with Lindeman dropped.

A seven-man group then formed behind to chase on with Van Avermaet and Valverde there, but the gap to the front grew constantly, and with 20km remaining, there was 30 seconds between the front two groups and another 30 to the peloton further back.

There were a number of attacks from the second group, but no-one was able to reduce the gap, and it was clear the winner was going to come from the front seven.

With one more ascent up the race's former famous finishing climb the Cauberg, it was onto to one more circuit towards the finish where Gilbert and Kwiatkowski were able to make their decisive attacks and contest the finish.

Results

Amstel Gold Race 2017 (264.6km)

1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, in 6-33-55

2 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky, st

3 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-Scott, at 10s

4 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data

5 José Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar

6 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky, all same time

7 Ion Izagirre (Esp) Bahrain-Merida, at 14s

8 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo, at 1-10

9 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 1-11

10 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb, at 1-11

While the Classics may be in full swing in the northern reaches of Europe, the stage racing continues with the WorldTour Tour of the Basque Country next week, starting with stage one on Monday April 3.

>>> Tour of the Basque Country 2017 start list

Team Sky will be heading in with a two pronged attack, with a pair of riders who have known significant success over the last month or so.

Milan-San Remo winner Michal Kwiatkowski will begin his build-up to the Ardennes Classics with a ride here, and will more likely be suited to stage wins with an extremely arduous parcours of climbing which is more suited to super lightweight climbers.

Sergio Henao will carry that flag for Sky, looking to better his second place finished overall in Pais Vasco in 2015 and 2016. He'll come up against Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) once again, having beat the Spaniard by two seconds to take the overall title at Paris-Nice in early March.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will also provide a challenge to any title hopes for Sky, with the veteran Spaniard on flying form after winning the overall and three stages at the Volta a Catalunya.

Tao Geoghegan Hart will be the only Brit in attendance, with the 22-year-old taking on his second WorldTour stage race having debuted in cycling's top tier at the Dubai Tour in February.

The same Team Sky line-up for the Tour of the Basque Country will also start the Spanish one-day race GP Miguel Indurain which takes place on the same day as the Tour of Flanders, Sunday April 1.

Full Team Sky squad for Tour of the Basque Country: Tao Geoghegan Hart, Michal Golas, Sebastian Henao, Sergio Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Michal Kwiatkowski, David Lopez and Mikel Nieve

Amidst all of the debate and furore that has swirled around Team Sky in recent months, the British squad’s fast start to the season has been widely overlooked.

>>> Michal Kwiatkowski’s Strava stats show the incredible power it takes to win Milan-San Remo

Thanks primarily to Michal Kwiatkowski’s successes in the Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo and Sergio Henao’s overall victory at Paris-Nice, Sky have enjoyed arguably their best start to a season during their eight-year existence, with contributions coming from all sides and plenty of indications that there is still more to come.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly prior to the Volta a Catalunya’s team time trial in Banyoles, Sky head coach Tim Kerrison said he hadn’t been surprised by the team’s performances.

"We’ve worked really hard through the winter, and we had a few guys last year who we knew we didn’t quite get enough out of," he said, picking Kwiatkowski and Henao as two who have bounced back after struggling in 2016.

"Michal had quite a difficult first year with the team last year because we didn’t get things quite right with his training and his load through the year, and he got sick quite a lot.

"He came out all guns blazing in January, he was lean, fit and ready to go, but couldn’t sustain that through the season," said Kerrison.

‘This year he’s taken a more gradual approach. He was really pretty casual through his first race in Valencia, and even at the Tour of the Algarve, where he ended up leading our team and coming second overall.

"But still he had his sights set on bigger goals later in the season, amongst those iconic events like Strade Bianche and San Remo, where he’s obviously delivered for the team."

Paris-Nice winner Henao has also come good, in his case after injury and other setbacks resulted in an even longer period of setbacks.

"Sergio has had quite a difficult couple of years and has never quite managed to produce a big result. He certainly didn’t go into Paris-Nice as one of the big favourites, but like we always do we looked at every opportunity and took it one stage at a time," Kerrison explained.

"He did a great ride on that first stage with the crosswinds and a good time trial and had another a good on the short punchy finish on the Friday [at Fayence] and just managed to hang on over the Saturday and Sunday despite everything that Alberto Contador threw at him.’

Kerrison described Henao’s victory in ‘the race to the sun’ as "a coming of age for him as a leader."

"He’s a huge talent," the Sky coach continued. "He’s quite a quiet guy within the team and it hasn’t been easy for him to mingle within the team’s multilingual atmosphere.

"But he had really key guys on the team like Luke Rowe and during the week they all forged a really strong partnership, worked really well together. The team really solidified around him as a leader, which helped his confidence to grow as the week went on."

Even Tirreno-Adriatico, which began with a nightmarish team time trial for the British squad, concluded well with Geraint Thomas taking a stage win and fifth overall as he approaches the Giro d’Italia, his first Grand Tour as a leader.

"It was tough for G because he really had his sights set on Tirreno as a big GC objective. He went into it in great shape and within a single kilometre there were a series of incidents that meant that objective was over for him," said Kerrison.

"But he remained positive and rode fantastically well for the rest of the race, showing everyone what a great leader he is. I think it was clear in the end he would have been fighting for the win on GC and in a way that was enough to give him confidence going forwards and keep him hungry."

That confidence means that the Welshman’s strong start to the season should continue at the Volta, where Sky are fielding what might turn out to be a good part of the Giro d’Italia team plus returning team leader Chris Froome.

Sports journalists are meant to be an unbiased bunch, but we think you can forgive the commentator's on Eurosport Poland for getting pretty excited about Michal Kwiatkowski's Milan-San Remo win.

Having already cranked up the volume when Kwiatkowski followed Peter Sagan's attack on the Poggio, the two commentators were clearly on the edge of their seats as the race entered the final 500m with their man sitting in second wheel behind the world champion.

>>> Michal Kwiatkowski's Strava stats show the incredible power it takes to win Milan-San Remo

As Sagan opened the sprint, the sense of professionalism was retained, but as the director cut to an overhead shot which showed Kwiatkowski accelerating up behind his rival, that quickly went out of the window.

What comes next needs no translation, as the final metres of the race consist of both men shouting "Michal" at the top of their voices, letting out cheers as their man crosses the line in first place.

While Michal Kwiatkowski attracted some scorn on social media for not cooperating with Peter Sagan in the final kilometres of Milan-San Remo, it's hard to have anything but respect for the Pole when looking at the Strava stats from his win.

Including the neutralised section out of Milan, Kwiatkowski's ride is nearly 300km in length, with an average speed of more than 40kmh, and unusually the Team Sky rider has not stripped his ride of the heart rate and power data, letting you directly compare yourself.

Kwiatkowski's average heart rate of 124bpm and average power of 166 watts may not seem extraordinary, but it's when you start looking at the stats from the pointy end of the race that things really get interesting.

>>> Twitter reacts to Michal Kwiatkowski's narrow Milan-San Remo victory

His time 9-52 for the 5.6km climb (with an average heart rate of 178bpm and an average power of 483 watts) put him 13th on the segment standings, with Greg Van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert taking the joint KOM, six seconds faster, despite Gilbert having a lower average power of 433 watts.

After a relatively relaxed ride between the Cipressa and the Poggio (averaging 263 watts), Kwiatkowski, tucked into the peloton, hit the base of the final climb at nearly 60kmh.

Watch: Milan-San Remo 2017 highlights

Sitting in the wheels, Kwiatkowski averaged around 400 watts for the first half of the climb, only easing on the pedals at the corners. But then came the attack from Sagan, forcing the Kwiatkowski to respond with a burst of nearly 1,000 watts, averaging 613 watts for the remainder of the climb, with his heart rate shooting up to 190bpm.

That effort gave Kwiatkowski the KOM up the Poggio with a time of 5-47, seven seconds faster than Greg Van Avermaet, and 15 seconds than the previous best time of Vincenzo Nibali from 2016.

>>> This is how close Peter Sagan was to beating Michal Kwiatkowski at Milan-San Remo

Sprinting out of corners on the descent saw Kwiatkowski hit a number of power spikes north of 700 watts, before averaging nearly 300 watts while apparently saving energy and sitting in on the final flat two kilometres towards the line.

The final sprint saw Kwiatkowski unleash a 20 second effort averaging more than 800 watts, and a one second peak of 1220 watts. Not bad after nearly seven and a half hours of hard racing.

Leader: Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky)

At Milan-San Remo, Sky’s Polish wonder-kid Michal Kwiatkowski once more proved he has the brains as well as the legs to win the very top races on the cycling calendar.

The Pole is making something of a career out of surprising better fancied riders in the finales of big races - in both his Worlds road race win in 2014 and at Strade Bianche earlier this month, he caught the rest of the favourites off guard with late solo attacks that were not brought back.

>>> Brilliant Michal Kwiatkowski edges out Peter Sagan to win Milan-San Remo 2017

He’s also becoming something of a nemesis to Peter Sagan, having previously outwitted him by making early sprints to beat him at last year’s E3 Harelbeke and the 2014 Strade Bianche, and this week coming from behind him to snatch Milan-San Remo victory at the very last moment.

Road Captain: Elia Viviani (Team Sky)

Sky’s victory at Milan-San Remo was as much a team effort as it was Kwiatkowski’s individual brilliance, and would not have been possible without Elia Viviani.

The Italian had been given the jersey ending in ‘1’ that denotes team leader, which meant that, once he’d hauled himself over the Poggio towards the front of the peloton, Kwiatkowski had the excuse to follow Sagan’s wheel without taking putting his nose to the wind - which in turn helped save him enough energy to beat him in the sprint.

Puncheur: Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Kwiatkowski may go down as the winner, but the most memorable ride at Milan-San Remo was surely Peter Sagan’s.

The power he produced on the Poggio was a sight to behold, and the way he motored all the way to the finish without relying on either Kwiatkowski or Alaphilippe was full of panache - even if it did arguably cost him the race.

On this kind of form he’s a marvel to watch, and another big win to make up for his near miss here is surely imminent.

>>> Analysis: Peter Sagan provides the thrills despite coming up short at Milan-San Remo

Sprinter: Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb)

The Trofeo Alfredo Binda is usually one of the more selective of the spring classics on the women’s calendar, but this year’s edition came down to a sprint involving over 20 riders, won by young American talent Rivera.

>>> Team Sunweb strike first WorldTour win at Trofeo Binda as Brits miss out

Time-triallist: Rohan Dennis (BMC)

Despite losing significant time a few days before on the race’s key mountain stage, Rohan Dennis catapulted himself up to second overall at the Tirreno Adriatico with a dominant, victorious performance on the final 10km time-trial stage.

Domestique: Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)

Before Sagan’s attack on the Poggio, a superb turn from Tom Dumoulin - who sacrificed his own chances by riding for the team’s sprinter Michael Matthews - kept the race under remarkable control on what is usually its most chaotic moments.

Domestique: William Bonnet (FDJ)

Milan-San Remo is a huge race in terms of length as well as prestige, so chapeau for FDJ’s William Bonnet for leading the peloton alone for much of the race’s first half. In an act of admirable self-sacrifice, his role was to use up all his resources riding at the front for hours, before promptly abandoning.

Many fear double world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), but Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski says that he is beatable, as he showed today in Milan-San Remo.

The Polish cyclist and Slovakian clashed regularly in the amateur ranks and more often than not Kwiatkowski came out on top like he did today on Italy's seaside.

"I might be in a better position than the others," Kwiatkowski said of their long-running rivalry. "I truly believe Sagan is beatable, maybe many in the bunch think that he's front another planet, that's for sure.

>>> Peter Sagan rues 'lack of cooperation' from Michal Kwiatkowski at Milan-San Remo

"I know that I'm able to follow him, like on the Poggio today. And when we talk about tactics before the race, we don't think about who's going follow when Sagan goes, we just know that I can follow him.

"In the junior ranks, we were at a very similar level, and so I had many more chances to race with him than any of the other guys. I truly believe that he is beatable. You just have to believe in that."

Watch: Milan-San Remo 2017 highlights

Kwiatkowski believed and it showed today. He followed Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) when he moved to chase Sagan up the Poggio. The trio sped down from the hillside down and to the seaside, but Kwiatkowski refused to work because he had Elia Viviani behind, and Alaphilippe did the same since Fernando Gaviria was waiting in the wings.

"For sure I thought Sagan was beatable. I always believe I can beat anyone if you do things right," added Kwiatkowski.

"I was really tying to focus on the sprint. For sure, I was gambling a bit with Sagan's mind. He has a lot of pressure on him - wearing the rainbow jersey puts you in a hard situation. I know."

Once on the flat final two kilometres, heading towards Via Roma, Kwiatkowski sat on Sagan's wheel, letting a small gap open in the final few hundred metres.

>>> Twitter reacts to Michal Kwiatkowski's narrow Milan-San Remo victory

"I was 100% sure that Sagan has better acceleration and he's just a better sprinter, but he's beatable. He looked behind and I knew that when he saw the gap he'd start the sprint first,” he continued.

"On the track, if you are directly behind the wheel, you will lose a couple of metres when a faster guy starts a sprint. I was trying to stay relaxed and have enough space to get a higher speed before the finish line."

With the win added to Wout Poels's in Liège-Bastogne-Liège last year, Kwiatkowski brought home Sky's second Monument. Meanwhile Sagan placed second for the 78th time in his career.

For retired La Gazzetta dello Sport reporter Marco Pastonesi, Milan-San Remo was a race apart. He put that down to its tradition, its history and also its mystery.

>>> This is how close Peter Sagan was to beating Michal Kwiatkowski at Milan-San Remo

"It always seems like the same old race, but every time there’s something different. It depends on the road, on the weather, on the riders. I think it gives the riders a special feeling," he told me before the epic 2013 edition when I was researching the Monuments.

Pastonesi said one of the beauties of La Primavera is that it starts slow and builds up to become a thriller.

This year’s race was exactly that, following the well-established format whereby a decent-sized group spends most of the day at the front of affairs, then yields centre stage when the real stars decide the time has come to perform, and concluding with a spectacular finale, in which Michal Kwiatkowski edged out world champion Peter Sagan by a tyre’s width, with Julian Alaphilippe half a bike length down in the third and the rest out of sight.

The moment the star names appeared came when the peloton was halfway up the penultimate climb of the Cipressa.

Thanks to Lotto-Soudal’s Tim Wellens and Sunweb’s Simon Geschke and Tom Dumoulin, the pace was high to see off a good part of the bunch, including former winner Mark Cavendish.

Yet, coming on to the subsequent ascent of the Poggio, several of the sprinters named pre-race as the favourites were still in contention, each with several teammates on hand to support them.

Heading up that little hill, Team Sky had a quartet of riders on the front, seemingly intent on keeping the race together for sprinter Elia Viviani. Fifth in line was world champion Peter Sagan. What would his tactic be?

Second in that snow-hit edition of 2013 and twice fourth, it had been widely predicted even by some of his rivals that Sagan wouldn’t attack on the Poggio, that he would wait and take his chance in a bunch sprint.

However, with past winners Alexander Kristoff and Arnaud Démare, plus in-form sprinters Fernando Gaviria, John Degenkolb, Nacer Bouhanni and Michael Matthews all on his heels, Sagan clearly decided there were a few too many sprinters around to lose out to.

Two-thirds of the way up the Poggio, Bora’s world champion pulled out from behind the Sky quartet and shot away.

Too quick and simply too strong for any of the sprinters to follow, his attack was countered by puncheurs Kwiatkowski and Alaphilippe. Frenchman Alaphilippe looked the most sprightly of the pair, closing the gap to Sagan before the summit, where the trio had a winnable advantage of a dozen seconds.

On the fast and technical descent, Sagan was happy to lead the way. Coming off it, with two kilometres to the finish, the three men led by 17 seconds and only had to sort the podium places out between them. Now for the finale.

Alaphilippe immediately made his intentions clear, refusing to come through from the back of the line. Beaten at the very last by Sagan in the Tour de France stage to Cherbourg last year, the Quick-Step rider knew that he wasn’t the fastest. With his teammate and sprinter Gaviria in the group that was starting to close behind, he had no reason to collaborate.

For 1500 metres, Sagan and Kwiatkowski shared the pace-making. Sagan led weaving through the chicane leading onto the finishing straight and almost immediately opened the sprint.

Having blown the race apart in a way that no other rider could manage, this was another unexpected move, but one that didn’t pay off in the same way as his attack on the Poggio had.

Rather than outpacing Alaphilippe and, most particularly, Kwiatkowski, Sagan led them out, the Pole coming by in the final metres and then holding off Sagan to claim his first victory in a Monument and by the tightest of margins.

What a finale it was. Sagan was sensational, providing most of the thrills relished so much by Pastonesi.

However, once again, victory in Sanremo has evaded him, and not for the first time it was his old rival Kwiatkowski, now apparently reborn as a Classics specialist he always looked likely to be, who proved his nemesis.

The pre-race favourite this morning, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe could not have hoped for a better scenario on the run-in to the finish of Milan-San Remo, with just two riders - Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) and Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) - for company.

Unfortunately for the Slovakian he found himself on the front of the group, and was eventually edged out in the sprint in a very close photo finish.

The finish was one of the closest in a number of years, with Sagan possibly even closer to victory than Erik Zabel was in 2004 when he was edged out by Oscar Freire after prematurely raising his arms in celebration.

>>> Brilliant Michal Kwiatkowski edges out Peter Sagan to win Milan-San Remo 2017

There were also question marks about whether Sagan dropped his chain in the final few metres of the race, with photos taken shortly after he crossed the line showing his chain half off the chainring.

However Sagan made no mention of the possible mechanical after the race, thanking his team and congratulating Kwiatkowski, who he has raced against since they were juniors, on his win.