Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Michal Kwiatkowski continued to demonstrate good form, and the ability to contest difficult finals with the best of the peloton, by placing 5th at 205km La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday.
Kwiatkowski was in great position as the field approached the 9.8%, 1.3km Mur de Huy for the third and final time. Carlos Betancur (AG2R La Mondiale) attacked early on the final climb, getting about 10 seconds on the peloton that was led by riders such as World Champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team), Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling), and Daniel Moreno (Katusha Team). As the climb reached its steepest sections of up to 26%, the elite riders emerged. Gilbert had a gap, with Sagan on his wheel and Moreno trailing Sagan. Just as Sagan began to drop off the pace, Moreno launched an attack and passed Gilbert. He was able to catch Betancur at the top of the Mur de Huy and won the race.
Sergio Henao (Sky ProCycling) was 2nd and Betancur 3rd. Kwiatkowski was amongst a very small group that was able to contest the final podium spots, and finished in the top five. OPQS did a tremendous job protecting Kwiatkowski throughout the race.
"I am really happy about my performance today," Kwiatkowski said. "We started this morning with a plan to protect myself, and the fact that I was a captain for the very first time gave me great motivation. I was really focused on the race and I felt also the guys surrounding me as a team. It was a special feeling. All the guys did an unbelievable job to put me in the best position and help me out. I don't want to say one name because really, everybody on the team was motivated for me. In the final, on the last passage on the Mur de Huy, I took the wheel of Gilbert. I started following and looked around me to see the gears other guys were using. I did my best to resist any accelerations. Then on the steepest part I had the power to pass well. In the last 300 meters I tried to get the best position possible and I think I did it. It's a really big achievement for me and the team. I want to share this result with my teammates."
"To be honest I am always surprised about the fact that I am still so strong," Kwiatkowski continued. "My objective for the first part of the season was Tirreno-Adriatico and I did well there. I then focused a bit on Ronde van Vlaanderen and did well even there. Now I am a little bit surprised, but also really happy about how things are going and the feeling I have with my team. Tomorrow we will take a day of rest and then Friday we will go to the parcour to make a reconnaissance of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. I really hope to do another good race for me and my teammates."