'We’re inspired by him': Kwiatkowski pays tribute to Nico Portal after perfect team performance at Tour de France
Kwiatkowski says he'll now help his team-mate Richard Carapaz defend the polka-dot jersey after he was given the stage 18 victory
Michal Kwiatkowski
Nationality: Polish
Date of birth: June 2, 1990
Height: 176cm
Weight: 68kg
Team: Team Ineos
Twitter: @michalkwiatek
2014 world champion Michal Kwiatkowski is one of several Polish riders at the top of the WorldTour, as the nation enjoys a stunning cycling resurgence in recent years.
Along with Rafal Majka, Przemysław Niemiec, Bartosz Huzarski and Marcin Białobłocki, Kwiatkowski is leading a new generation of Polish riders on the world stage. But the Team Ineos rider is the best of the current crop, having performed consistently in a variety of races and taken wins at Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold Race and Volta ao Algarve.
An impressive 11th in his debut Tour de France in 2013, Kwiatkowski went on to better things in 2015 with a more focused programme. Attacking the spring Classics, he won Strade Bianche by riding away from Peter Sagan before placing top five in all three of the Ardennes classics.
>>> Michal Kwiatkowski: my year as world champion
Kwiatkowski made a mockery of the so-called curse of the rainbow jersey in 2015, winning the Paris-Nice prologue en route to the young rider’s jersey, followed by fourth in the Tour of Flanders and victory in the Amstel Gold Race, finishing a respectable eight in the World Championship road race, three seconds behind Peter Sagan.
In 2017, Kwiatkowski enjoyed his biggest win to date, claiming Milan-San Remo ahead of Sagan after winning Strade Bianche for a second time earlier in the season. The Pole went on to regain his Time Trialling national jersey as he smashed the Polish national championships for the first time since 2014.
2018 also was a successful year, with wins at Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour de Pologne and Volta ao Algarve. He also played an important role in Thomas’ win in the Tour de France.
Whilst 2019 hasn’t seen as dazzling results, there has still been much to celebrate, with the Pole often being seen at the pointy end of the race during the TdF, with teammate Bernal taking the overall victory.
Major results: 2017 Milan-San Remo | 2017 Strade Bianche | 2015 Amstel Gold Race | 2015 Paris-Nice prologue | 2014 UCI road world championship | 2014 Strade Bianche | 2014 Volta ao Algarve
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Michał Kwiatkowksi wins first ever Grand Tour stage on Tour de France 2020 stage 18
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.
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Keeping everyone safe 'not easy' says Greg Van Avermaet, as sweltering Strade Bianche beckons
The peloton will face temperatures into the mid-thirties as Michał Kwiatkowski says the summer heat has made the gravel 'like racing on snow'
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Michał Kwiatkowski lets medical staff stay in his apartments for free
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.
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Flood of tributes to ‘true inspiration’ Nico Portal
A flood of tributes have already poured in to “true inspiration” Nicolas Portal after his death, aged 40.
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'Hopefully I can find joy from riding my bike’: Michał Kwiatkowski will skip next race after disappointing Tour de France
Michał Kwiatkowski will skip his next race after struggling through the 2019 season, which resulted in a disappointing performance at the Tour de France.
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Geraint Thomas and Michał Kwiatkowski cleared to continue after Tour of the Basque Country crash
Julian Alaphilippe left bloodied in same crash but initial indications are good for Deceuninck-Quick-Step’s star
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Michał Kwiatkowski ‘100 per cent sure’ Team Sky will find new sponsor
Michał Kwiatkowski said he is ‘100 per cent sure’ Team Sky will find a new sponsor.
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Michał Kwiatkowski believes he can mirror Geraint Thomas' transition to Grand Tour contender
Michał Kwiatkowski believes he has the ability to win the Tour de France and hopes to mirror the success of team-mate Geraint Thomas.
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Michal Kwiatkowski targets second career Monument glory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2019
Michal Kwiatkowski is targeting a second Monument to add to his already glowing palmarès at this year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
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Michal Kwiatkowski to ride on after crash before Lago de Covadonga on Vuelta a España stage 15
Team Sky's Vuelta frontman vows to press on after crashes hinder GC chance
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Michal Kwiatkowski follows Geraint Thomas’s example as he plots GC future
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Michal Kwiatkowski settles for second after 'unbeatable' Rohan Dennis wins Vuelta opener
The Pole sits in just six seconds down in second position ahead of the opening road stages
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Michal Kwiatkowski beats Simon Yates to overall victory at the 2018 Tour of Poland (stage by stage)
The Pole took overall victory after winning two stages along the way
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Pascal Ackermann sprints to victory on Critérium du Dauphiné stage two as Impey takes overall lead
Race leader Kwiatkowski crashed with just over a kilometre remaining and was able to get to the finish of stage two
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Michal Kwiatkowski takes victory in Critérium du Dauphiné prologue as Geraint Thomas crashes
The Pole takes the overall lead ahead of the opening road stage on Monday
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Not possible to do full cobbled Classics and Ardennes campaign, says Michal Kwiatkowski
The former world champion says he had to prioritise the Ardennes races and skip most of the cobbled Classics this year, except the Tour of Flanders
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Michal Kwiatkowski: 'The whole bunch just let Nibali ride away. We fell asleep'
Michal Kwiatkowski, last year's Milan-San Remo winner, says that the group "fell asleep" and let Vincenzo Nibali ride away to win the 2018 edition.
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Kwiatkowski to Sagan: 'Sometimes you win by being the smartest, not the strongest'
The 2017 Milan-San Remo winner responds to Sagan's comments over how he won the Italian Monument
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Peter Sagan: 'If I win Milan-San Remo like Kwiatkowski, I'm not happy'
The world champion says he'd rather put on a show than win by following the wheels like Michal Kwiatkowski did in his Milan-San Remo victory
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Michal Kwiatkowski wins Tirreno-Adriatico overall, Geraint Thomas third
Rohan Dennis wins decisive final time trial stage in Tirreno-Adriatico as Michal Kwiatkowski takes the overall victory
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Michal Kwiatkowski: 'No special equipment is needed to win Strade Bianche'
Defending Strade Bianche champion Michal Kwiatkowski dispels the notion that you need to adapt your bike to tackle the mud and gravel roads of the Tuscan race on Saturday
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Michal Kwiatkowski is out riding in the snow again, this time doing his recon of Strade Bianche
As if one snowy recon ride in a week wasn't enough, Michal Kwiatkowski is out in the cold again, this time taking a look at the roads of Strade Bianche.
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Michal Kwiatkowski braves heavy snow and freezing temperatures to recon Milan-San Remo (video)
Michal Kwiatkowski looks seriously motivated to defend his Milan-San Remo title after heading out for a recon in heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
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Michal Kwiatkowski attacks to win Volta ao Algarve stage five and claim overall victory
Geraint Thomas was unable to hold onto his lead, finishing in a group 1-42 down on his team-mate
