'Hopefully I can find joy from riding my bike’: Michał Kwiatkowski will skip next race after disappointing Tour de France
The Team Ineos rider admits he has struggled this season
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter


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.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
Rohan Dennis takes men's time trial gold medal at Commonwealth Games as Geraint Thomas crashes
Dennis powered around the course with unerring consistency, while Fred Wright picked up the silver medal
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Grace Brown takes women's time trial gold medal at Commonwealth Games as Anna Henderson settles for silver
The Australian stormed around the 28.8km circuit to win in Wolverhampton with a time of 40-05
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
'He's going to win some big bike races' - Tom Pidcock hails Sam Watson as he turns pro with Groupama-FDJ
U23 British National champion has impressed his French team and more besides
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adam Yates and Ineos Grenadiers discuss contract extension with Briton not assured of same Grand Tour opportunities
The Briton joined Ineos Grenadiers two years ago and is thought to be attracting interest from elsewhere
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Leo Hayter joins Ineos Grenadiers as stagiaire before turning pro with team in 2023
Baby Giro winner will move to highest level next season alongside his brother with British team
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Dave Brailsford admits Geraint Thomas proved Ineos management wrong at Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers director of sport lauds performance of Welshman along with Tom Pidcock
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Tour de France 2022: Jonas Vingegaard wins stage 18 on Hautacam to increase gap to Tadej Pogačar in second place
Danish rider wins a second stage to increase his grip on the overall lead ahead of Pogačar
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘I’ve still got the TT up my sleeve’: Geraint Thomas pins GC hopes on final Tour de France time trial
'If a situation works for both of you then yeah, definitely we’d work together' - Welshman refuses to rule out alliance with Tadej Pogačar
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Geraint Thomas shadows Vingegaard and Pogačar to move up to third at the Tour de France
Welshman follows attacks on Alpe d'Huez to cement general classification position
By Adam Becket • Published
-