# Michał Kwiatkowski

Michał Kwiatkowski (Polish pronunciation:, born 2 June 1990) is a Polish professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Ineos Grenadiers.
Kwiatkowski is seen as a strong all rounder, with good sprinting, time-trialling and climbing abilities allowing him to win both stage races and one day classics. His talent was shown early in his career, winning the World Junior Time Trial Championships in 2008. In 2014, Kwiatkowski became the world elite road race champion, and he was also a member of the Omega Pharma–Quick-Step team that won the 2013 World Team Time Trial Championships. In 2017 he won his first 'Monument', Milan–San Remo, while in 2018, he won Tirreno–Adriatico and the Tour de Pologne. He is a two-time winner of two of the most prestigious non-Monument classics, the Amstel Gold Race and the Strade Bianche.

## Career
### Early career

Kwiatkowski is a double European junior champion, winning the road race in 2007 and the individual time trial in 2008. In 2009 he became national road champion in the under-23 category, and he also won a stage of the Okolo Slovenska. He turned professional in 2010 with Caja Rural and in 2011 joined Team RadioShack, and placed third overall in the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, the Three Days of De Panne and the Tour du Poitou-Charentes.

### Omega Pharma–Quick Step (2012–2015)
#### 2012

Kwiatkowski moved to Omega Pharma–Quick-Step for the 2012 season. He impressed in his first year with the team, winning the prologue of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen. He also finished second overall in his home race, the Tour de Pologne, and eighth overall in the Eneco Tour.

#### 2013

Kwiatkowski began the 2013 season in excellent form, placing second overall in the Volta ao Algarve. He then finished fourth overall in Tirreno–Adriatico, and won the young rider classification, after proving one of the strongest climbers in the race. He finished fourth at the summit finish of Prati di Tivo to take the overall race lead from team-mate Mark Cavendish, before surrendering it the next day. Kwiatkowski then rode a strong classics campaign, placing fourth in the Amstel Gold Race and fifth in La Flèche Wallonne. In June, he won the senior National Road Race Championships for the first time.
Kwiatkowski's excellent form saw him selected to ride the Tour de France. He wore the white jersey – of young rider classification leader – in the first week after coming third on Stage 2 and fourth on Stage 3, both reduced bunch sprints. On Stage 7 he came in fourth again. On Stage 9 (a high mountain stage) he reached the podium once again. With a strong time trial, he was able to regain the white jersey of the young rider classification on Stage 11, but lost the lead shortly after to Nairo Quintana. Even though he lost the white jersey, he still managed to finish 11th in his Tour debut.

#### 2014

In 2014, Kwiatkowski won the Italian Classic Strade Bianche. He followed a strong attack from Peter Sagan with 20 kilometres (12 miles) to go and the pair cooperated well until Kwiatkowski dropped Sagan on the final climb to Siena. He placed on the third step of the podium in Liège–Bastogne–Liège as well as in La Flèche Wallonne and fifth in the Amstel Gold Race.
In September, he grabbed the leader's jersey of the Tour of Britain by winning the fourth stage in a select group sprint of 6 riders. Overall he placed second in the general classification and first in the points classification.
Later that same month he became the first Polish cyclist to win the UCI Road Race World Championships. Kwiatkowski made a solo attack about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) from the finish line on a downhill section. Despite a late chase, he was able to hold the lead and coast across the finish line, winning the rainbow jersey. After the race, Kwiatkowski posted his winning ride on Strava, which helped determine his statistics for the event. He climbed 5,106 metres (16,752 feet) and burned 6,338 kilocalories (26,520 kilojoules) during the course of 6:29:45, producing an average power of 240 watts with an average heartbeat of 148 beats per minute. He rode his first race in the rainbow jersey at Il Lombardia and finished 77th.

#### 2015

Being reigning world champion, Kwiatkowski tended to start the 2015 year with a less aggressive approach than 2014 for the bigger race later on in the year. He used the Volta ao Algarve and Paris–Nice as warm up races to prepare for the classics campaign, finishing second overall in both events. In April, Kwiatkowski earned a prestigious victory at the Amstel Gold Race. After the last climb of the Cauberg, he had to work to join a small group led by Philippe Gilbert. Before the finish line, a regrouping of about fifteen riders formed and Kwiatkowski outsprinted them to add the Dutch classic to his palmarès.
He abandoned the 2015 Tour de France during Stage 17.

### Team Sky / Team Ineos (2016–present)
#### 2016

On 27 September 2015, Team Sky announced the signing of Kwiatkowski for the 2016 season.
On 25 March 2016, Kwiatkowski won his first cobbled classic, E3 Harelbeke, by outsprinting Peter Sagan after the pair broke away from an elite group with 30 kilometres (19 miles) remaining. He was named in the startlist for the Vuelta a España, After Team Sky won the opening time trial, Kwiatkowski took the race leader's red jersey after finishing fourth on stage 2. However, he lost the race lead to the Movistar Team's Rubén Fernández the following day, and abandoned on stage 7 with a back injury. This marked a culmination of a difficult season for Kwiatkowski, after illnesses earlier in the year had wrecked his Ardennes classics campaign and led to him missing out on selection for the Tour de France.

#### 2017

On 4 March 2017, Kwiatkowski won the Strade Bianche after attacking from a group of four race favourites with around 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) remaining and he was able to solo away to the race victory in Siena. By doing so, he became the second rider, after Fabian Cancellara, to win multiple editions of the race. Later that month, Kwiatkowski won Milan–San Remo in a three-up sprint finish ahead of world champion Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe) and Quick-Step Floors rider Julian Alaphilippe after the trio broke clear on the race's final climb – the Poggio di San Remo. This was his first victory on one of the Monuments. On 16 April, Kwiatkowski took second place in the Amstel Gold Race after being defeated by Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) in a two-up sprint finish.
He was selected for Sky's Tour de France squad thanks to his recent successes, fulfilling his goal since joining the team of getting to ride the Tour with team leader Chris Froome. He finished 8th on the opening stage in Düsseldorf as well as 2nd in the final time trial in Marseille. However, it was his selfless efforts in support of Froome that gained him much praise from fans and media as a "super-domestique", especially shown on stage 14 to Rodez where he set up his team leader perfectly for the final run-in and on stage 15 to Le Puy-en-Velay, surrendering his back wheel to Froome when he had a mechanical on the ascent of the Col de Peyra Talliade. On 29 July he won Clásica de San Sebastián, outsprinting Tony Gallopin, Bauke Mollema, Tom Dumoulin and teammate Mikel Landa in a five-man sprint finish. Over a week later, he signed a 3-year contract extension with Team Sky.

#### 2018

At the Volta ao Algarve in February 2018, Kwiatkowski, whilst sitting second overall behind teammate Geraint Thomas, was part of a 31-man breakaway which went clear in the opening kilometres of the final stage. Kwiatkowski held on to win the stage on the Malhão to take overall victory by 1 minute 31 seconds over Thomas. In March, Kwiatkowski again took a leader's jersey from Thomas on the fourth stage at Tirreno–Adriatico. Thomas suffered a mechanical issue 1.5 kilometres (0.93 miles) from the summit of the final climb to Sarnano–Sassotetto, that resulted in him losing 34 seconds and the overall leader's blue jersey to Kwiatkowski. Kwiatkowski held on to win the race overall. In July Kwiatkowski again played a supporting role for Team Sky at the 2018 Tour de France, helping Thomas to win the race overall and Chris Froome to finish third overall. One week after the Tour de France, in early August, Kwiatkowski rode his home race, the Tour de Pologne. He won stage 4, with a steep uphill finish in Szczyrk, and successfully defended his lead in the following stages to win the race overall.

#### 2023

He rode in the 2023 Tour de France, where he won stage 13.
In November, he ran the 2023 New York City Marathon with his wife, Agata, in a time of 4:11:34.

## Career achievements
### Major results
#### 2007

    UEC European Junior Road Championships
       1st Road race
       2nd Time trial
    1st Overall Course de la Paix Juniors
       1st Points classification
       1st Young rider classification
       1st Stage 1
    10th Overall Giro della Lunigiana
       1st Stage 2

#### 2008

    1st Time trial, UCI Junior Road World Championships
    UEC European Junior Road Championships
       1st Time trial
       9th Road race
    1st Overall Trofeo Karlsberg
       1st Stage 1
    1st Overall Course de la Paix Juniors

#### 2009

    1st Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships
    1st Stage 2 Okolo Slovenska
    4th Memoriał Henryka Łasaka
    4th Gran Premio della Liberazione
    7th Giro del Mendrisiotto
    10th Trofeo Edil C
    10th Coupe des Carpathes

#### 2010

    4th Overall Szlakiem Grodów Piastowskich
    7th Overall Volta ao Alentejo
    10th Gran Premio de Llodio

#### 2011

    3rd Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
    3rd Overall Three Days of De Panne
    3rd Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes
    6th Grand Prix de Wallonie

#### 2012 (1 pro win)

    1st Prologue Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
    2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
    2nd Overall Tour de Pologne
    8th Overall Eneco Tour

#### 2013 (1)

    1st Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    National Road Championships
       1st Road race
       2nd Time trial
    2nd Overall Volta ao Algarve
    4th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
       1st Young rider classification
       1st Stage 1 (TTT)
    4th Amstel Gold Race
    5th La Flèche Wallonne
    5th Grand Prix de Wallonie
    Tour de France
       Held after Stages 2–7 & 11–14

#### 2014 (9)

    UCI Road World Championships
       1st Road race
       3rd Team time trial
    1st Time trial, National Road Championships
    1st Overall Volta ao Algarve
       1st Stages 2 & 3 (ITT)
    1st Strade Bianche
    1st Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
    1st Prologue Tour de Romandie
    1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tirreno–Adriatico
    2nd Overall Tour of the Basque Country
       1st Points classification
    2nd Overall Tour of Britain
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 4
    3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    3rd La Flèche Wallonne
    5th Amstel Gold Race
    7th Trofeo Ses Salines
    Tour de France
       Held after Stages 8–9

#### 2015 (2)

    1st Amstel Gold Race
    UCI Road World Championships
       2nd Team time trial
       8th Road race
    2nd Overall Paris–Nice
       1st Young rider classification
       1st Prologue
    2nd Overall Volta ao Algarve
    4th Dwars door Vlaanderen
    8th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
    Tour de France
       Combativity award Stages 2 & 12

#### 2016 (1)

    1st E3 Harelbeke
    Vuelta a España
       1st Stage 1 (TTT)
       Held after Stage 2
    2nd Trofeo Pollenca-Port de Andratx
    2nd Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
    8th Overall Tirreno–Adriatico

#### 2017 (4)

    1st Time trial, National Road Championships
    1st Milan–San Remo
    1st Clásica de San Sebastián
    1st Strade Bianche
    2nd Overall Volta ao Algarve
    2nd Amstel Gold Race
    3rd Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
    5th Overall Tour of Britain
    6th UCI World Tour
    7th La Flèche Wallonne

#### 2018 (9)

    National Road Championships
       1st Road race
       3rd Time trial
    1st Overall Tirreno–Adriatico
    1st Overall Tour de Pologne
       1st Points classification
       1st Stages 4 & 5
    1st Overall Volta ao Algarve
       1st Points classification
       1st Stages 2 & 5
    Critérium du Dauphiné
       1st Prologue & Stage 3 (TTT)
    4th Time trial, UCI Road World Championships
    Vuelta a España
       Held after Stages 2–4
       Held after Stages 2–6
       Held after Stages 2–4 & 6
       Combativity award Stage 14

#### 2019

    3rd Overall Paris–Nice
       1st Points classification
    3rd Milan–San Remo
    4th Time trial, National Road Championships
    10th Overall UAE Tour

#### 2020 (1)

    1st Stage 18 Tour de France
    4th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
    4th Gran Trittico Lombardo
    6th La Flèche Wallonne
    6th Brabantse Pijl
    10th Liège–Bastogne–Liège

#### 2021

    1st Stage 3 (TTT) Tour of Britain
    2nd Overall Étoile de Bessèges
    3rd Overall Tour de Pologne
    8th Amstel Gold Race

#### 2022 (1)

    1st Amstel Gold Race

#### 2023 (2)

    1st Time trial, National Road Championships
    Tour de France
       1st Stage 13
       Combativity award Stage 13
    3rd Overall Tour de Pologne

#### 2024

    4th Vuelta a Murcia
    7th Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior

#### 2025 (1)

    1st Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior

#### General classification results timeline

Grand Tour general classification results :
| Grand Tour | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Giro d'Italia | 136 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tour de France | — | 11 | 28 | DNF | — | 57 | 49 | 83 | 30 | 68 | — | 49 | 54 | |
| Vuelta a España | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Major stage race general classification results ||||||||||||||||||
| Stage races | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Paris–Nice | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tirreno–Adriatico | — | 4 | 18 | — | 8 | 27 | 1 | — | — | 51 | — | 90 | 98 | DNF |
| Volta a Catalunya | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NH | — | DNF | — | — | — |
| Tour of the Basque Country | — | — | 2 | 8 | — | 30 | DNF | DNF | NH | — | — | — | DNF | |
| Tour de Romandie | DNF | — | DNF | — | DNF | — | — | — | NH | — | — | — | — | — |
| Critérium du Dauphiné | — | DNF | DNF | — | DNF | 43 | 49 | 29 | DNF | 68 | DNF | — | 32 | |
| Tour de Suisse | — | — | — | 71 | — | — | — | — | NH | — | — | 29 | — | — |

#### Classics results timeline

| Monument | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Milan–San Remo | — | — | DNF | DNF | 67 | 40 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 139 | 54 | |
| Tour of Flanders | DNF | — | 40 | — | — | 27 | — | 28 | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Paris–Roubaix | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NH | 70 | 77 | — | — | — |
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | — | DNF | 92 | 3 | 21 | 36 | 3 | 29 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 100 | DNF | DNF | |
| Giro di Lombardia | DNF | — | DNF | 77 | 54 | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Classic | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Strade Bianche | — | — | — | 1 | — | 20 | 1 | 30 | — | 12 | DNF | — | 18 | DNF | DNF |
| Dwars door Vlaanderen | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | NH | — | — | — | — | — |
| E3 Harelbeke | — | 41 | 82 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | NH | — | — | DNF | — | — |
| Gent–Wevelgem | 75 | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | DNF | — | — |
| Brabantse Pijl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | DNF | — | — |
| Amstel Gold Race | — | DNF | 4 | 5 | 1 | DNF | 2 | 31 | 11 | NH | 8 | 1 | 72 | 35 | |
| La Flèche Wallonne | — | DNF | 5 | 3 | 33 | — | 7 | 57 | 16 | 6 | 23 | 92 | 115 | DNF | |
| Clásica de San Sebastián | — | — | DNF | — | — | 107 | 1 | — | — | NH | — | — | — | — | — |

#### Major championships timeline

| Event | Event | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Olympic Games | Road race | NH | 60 | Not held | Not held | Not held | 62 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 11 | Not held | Not held | — |
| Olympic Games | Time trial | NH | — | Not held | Not held | Not held | 14 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | — | Not held | Not held | 23 |
| World Championships | Road race | 31 | — | DNF | 1 | 8 | — | 11 | DNF | — | 4 | 36 | — | DNF | — |
| World Championships | Time trial | 48 | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| National Championships | Road race | — | 16 | 1 | 21 | 57 | 25 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 10 | — |
| National Championships | Time trial | 21 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | — |

### Awards

* International Flandrien of the Year: 2014
* Gold Cross of Merit (Krzyż Zasługi): 2014