Kwiatkowski rips up the script on way to Volta ao Algarve victory
19 February 2018 02:00
With Sky teammate Geraint Thomas in yellow and looking safe for overall Volta ao Algarve victory, getting into the final stage breakaway at the Volta ao Algarve was a gamble for Michal Kwiatkowski. A gamble that ultimately paid off though as the Pole won the stage and swapped second for first place with Thomas. A second final day general classification win for Sky following Egan Bernal's Oro y Paz win at the start of February. Speaking after his second stage win of the race in southern Portugal and second career GC win after his 2014 triumph, Kwiatkowski explained the day did not play out as planned.ADVERTISEMENT "It wasn't the strategy, it was just how the race went," he said. In the early stages of the stage, a large breakaway which included the likes of Tony Martin (Katusha), Philippe Gilbert and Zdenek Štybar of Quick-Step Floors broke clear with Kwiatkowski and teammate Michal Golas quick to cover and infiltrate the move. Given a long lead by the peloton, the breakaway would eventually splinter and shatter on approach to the final Malhão finale with Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) then Štybar doing the major damage While the peloton appeared content to let the stage go to the breakaway, Kwiatkowski wasn't letting the likes of Stybar take the win and potentially the overall win.
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