Michal Kwiatkowski Thread

[Akuryo]

When he was done, even Bernal was cooked
Not the first time Kwiato "screwed up" the order of the train and shedding his own mates.

 

[alexix7]

Re:

On the LA podcast he mentioned how when MK is done with his shift, he literally pulls over and parks. I saw that today, pretty funny!

This is sign that he did really maximum he could do. Not many other riders can sacrifice themselves as Kwiato do.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re:

What a beast Kwiato is.

He is so, so good.

 

[shalgo]

Re: Re:

On the LA podcast he mentioned how when MK is done with his shift, he literally pulls over and parks. I saw that today, pretty funny!

This is sign that he did really maximum he could do. Not many other riders can sacrifice themselves as Kwiato do.

Just like he did in the Tour last year. I have enormous respect for that--for a rider with his palmares and talent, he fully devotes himself to the role of domestique when asked to do it.

 

[Anderis]

One can admirie Kwiatkowski's dedication to help his leaders, but isn't he by far the best rider among those who are riding TdF without their own ambitions? And that happens for 2nd year in row.

He is already 28 and still without a GT stage win. A rider of his class. It seems like wasting his talent a bit.

 

[dick the quick]

As long as he continues with his usual season schedule, i.e.

1) spring: "Ardennes are my main target and the whole team will be there to help me, but unfortunately I will be out of form at that time";
2) summer: "We will all work for Froome, G, … [insert the name], to help him to be in yellow in Paris";
3) autumn: "World Champs are next big goal, so it is not very good that there is Sagan who will take it";

- he will remain still without a GT stage win.

Maybe he should target Giro or Vuelta next season, instead of one day races? His recent results show that he is no longer a top tier contender in RvV or L-B-L, but he has a greater potential in medium- and high-mountain terrain in stage races.

 

[shalgo]

Maybe he should target Giro or Vuelta next season, instead of one day races? His recent results show that he is no longer a top tier contender in RvV or L-B-L, but he has a greater potential in medium- and high-mountain terrain in stage races.

I don't know how you can say this about LBL. Kwia had an off spring this year, but he was on the podium at LBL in 2017. Surely at age 28 we cannot say that he is no longer a top tier contender there. Kwiatkowski has had great success in both one-day races and one-week stage races; I don't know why he can't continue to do both.

Personally, I think that winning major classics and one-week stage races are both bigger achievements than stage wins in GTs (at least for a rider of his characteristics).

 

[MatParker117]

Maybe he should target Giro or Vuelta next season, instead of one day races? His recent results show that he is no longer a top tier contender in RvV or L-B-L, but he has a greater potential in medium- and high-mountain terrain in stage races.

I don't know how you can say this about LBL. Kwia had an off spring this year, but he was on the podium at LBL in 2017. Surely at age 28 we cannot say that he is no longer a top tier contender there. Kwiatkowski has had great success in both one-day races and one-week stage races; I don't know why he can't continue to do both.

Personally, I think that winning major classics and one-week stage races are both bigger achievements than stage wins in GTs (at least for a rider of his characteristics).

Rate that Sprinters are dropping this tour, Paris isn't out of the question.

 

[dick the quick]

Maybe he should target Giro or Vuelta next season, instead of one day races? His recent results show that he is no longer a top tier contender in RvV or L-B-L, but he has a greater potential in medium- and high-mountain terrain in stage races.

I don't know how you can say this about LBL. Kwia had an off spring this year, but he was on the podium at LBL in 2017. Surely at age 28 we cannot say that he is no longer a top tier contender there. Kwiatkowski has had great success in both one-day races and one-week stage races; I don't know why he can't continue to do both.

Personally, I think that winning major classics and one-week stage races are both bigger achievements than stage wins in GTs (at least for a rider of his characteristics).

I definitely agree. My point was about that he clearly has enough quality to win a bunch of GT stages, but he is not given with an opportunity to do so (due to the fact that he is not starting in Giro or Vuelta, while in TdF his role is to slave for the team leader(s)). So, maybe it could be a good move for him in 2019 to skip spring classics campaign and to try his chances for stage wins in the Giro?

 

[rghysens]

Maybe he should target Giro or Vuelta next season, instead of one day races? His recent results show that he is no longer a top tier contender in RvV or L-B-L, but he has a greater potential in medium- and high-mountain terrain in stage races.

I don't know how you can say this about LBL. Kwia had an off spring this year, but he was on the podium at LBL in 2017. Surely at age 28 we cannot say that he is no longer a top tier contender there. Kwiatkowski has had great success in both one-day races and one-week stage races; I don't know why he can't continue to do both.

Personally, I think that winning major classics and one-week stage races are both bigger achievements than stage wins in GTs (at least for a rider of his characteristics).

I definitely agree. My point was about that he clearly has enough quality to win a bunch of GT stages, but he is not given with an opportunity to do so (due to the fact that he is not starting in Giro or Vuelta, while in TdF his role is to slave for the team leader(s)). So, maybe it could be a good move for him in 2019 to skip spring classics campaign and to try his chances for stage wins in the Giro?

Sky pays him big bucks to do as he's told. If sky says that he'll slave his a$$ of in the tour next year, he'll do so. Besides, last year he won Strade bianche, MSR and CSS, which is way more than most riders in an entire career. Not so bad for an overpaid slave.

 

[rick james]

maybe he just isn't interested in grand tours stage wins

 

[rghysens]

Re:

maybe he just isn't interested in grand tours stage wins

In 2013 he had 5 or 6 top 10's in stages, in 2014 he joined the fray in the cobbled stage. I think he wants to win a stage, but he isn' t allowed by his team to risk anything in a sprint or to join a breakaway. And the look on his bank account and the chances he gets in the spring and during one day races settles for the lost opportunity in Tdf stages.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

maybe he just isn't interested in grand tours stage wins

He is not interested in GT stage win. But in GT GC, of course, yes.

 

[super_domestique]

Re: Re:

maybe he just isn't interested in grand tours stage wins

He is not interested in GT stage win. But in GT GC, of course, yes.

I would dearly love for him to lead a GT with SKY. i know Geraint has a win under his belt but man for man on the SKY's roster, Kwiato is right up at the top in terms of status in my humble opinion.

 

[Valv.Piti]

He isn't gonna do anything in the GC at the end of the Vuelta after Dauphine, TdF and Pologne.

 

[Nirvana]

He said he'll go stage hunting in the Vuelta.

 

[damian13ster]

Re:

He said he'll go stage hunting in the Vuelta.

Awesome! If he is given a green light to attack whenever he wants then it should be fun.
Stage profiles don't suit him at all but he is pure class nevertheless

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

He said he'll go stage hunting in the Vuelta.

Awesome! If he is given a green light to attack whenever he wants then it should be fun.
Stage profiles don't suit him at all but he is pure class nevertheless

Any in particular that don't suit a past winner of Milan San Remo, Strade Bianche, E3, and San Sebastian? I can see 2 or 3 Esp summit finishes where he might not make it, and a few flat ones where the Sprint trains will take over, but I think there are more stages on the route than not that, if they were a 1-day race, he'd be one of the favourites.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

He said he'll go stage hunting in the Vuelta.

I'd prefer him to race for GC, for as long as he can stay close to the red jersey, and so long as Sky doesn't have another obvious contender.

Also dependent on how tired he is post Tour.

This might be his big chance to prove himself as a GT team leader.

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Re:

Stages 2, possibly 5, 11 if raced aggressively. Don't really see any others where he would be a favorite unless favorable breakaway including Kwiatkowski forms

 

[rlntlssly]

He's surely the favourite for the prologue. In fact, I can't see anyone in the current start list who'll come close.

After that, presuming he loses the red jersey fairly quickly, I can see seven stages where he'd be in the top 5 favourites for the stage, either from the peloton or the break. Of course it depends what the sprint field ends up looking like.

 

[hazaran]

It's Sky, he'll win the prologue, everybody goes "ahh another Geraint" and then 3 weeks later he wins the whole thing. You read it here first.

 

[Leinster]

He’s not another Geraint, he finished 11th in the (2014?) Tour which is already better than any finish G had in a GT before July this year.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

It's Sky, he'll win the prologue, everybody goes "ahh another Geraint" and then 3 weeks later he wins the whole thing. You read it here first.

Would not surprise me at all either

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Another excellent win, Michał! As he said after the stage, today was much more harder to win than yesterday.
And chapeau bas for Sky - great work at 2 final km!