Michal Kwiatkowski lightened the atmosphere at Team Sky by notching the team’s second Monument. His Milan-Sanremo win today follows Wout Poels’ victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege last year.
Kwiatkowski had shown his good form earlier in the month by winning Strade Bianche and in the closing stages of Milan-Sanremo, he and Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe were the only two riders able to follow Peter Sagan’s furious attack on the Poggio.
Those three were never caught. There followed a ragged sprint with Sagan throwing his bike at the line with such force that he almost lost control.
It was to no avail. The Pole recorded a narrow win with Alaphilippe third.
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Reacting to his win, Kwiatkowski said: “After previous editions in 2013 and 2014 when I’ve been unlucky, winning Milano-Sanremo is an incredible feeling. I’m thankful to my team-mates, they did an incredible job today.
“I didn’t expect Sagan to attack on the Poggio. After he did, I expected a bunch sprint but he maintained a high speed at the front. I focused only on my own sprint. I can’t believe I’ve beaten Sagan.”
28 thoughts on “Michal Kwiatkowski wins 2017 Milan-Sanremo for beleaguered Team Sky”
I find it annoying that
I find it annoying that kwatowski didn’t pull once in the final break. I understand Alaphillippe not doing so, but that attitude reminds me of Armstrongs win at all costs… looking forward to the rebels blowing up the death star again.
Matt_Z wrote:
That’s bike racing. Why pull Sagan along, let him recover then outsprint you? Madness.
As for the Armstrong comparison…with all due respect; get a grip.
I understand that sour grapes
I understand that sour grapes make a fine whine.
Quote:
Err, try watching the race before moaning. Kwatowski did pull in the final break.
Must be Mad wrote:
He took about 3 soft turns. You can’t seriously argue Sagan didn’t pull them to the finish.
Jackson wrote:
You obviously know nothing about how to actually race. Sour grapes.
btw have you ordered your World Champ jeresey yet so you can pretend to be Sagan?
Sporting or not you’d be an
Sporting or not you’d be an idiot to not make Sagan do 75% + of the work in any break.
There’s a very good reason Sagan is second in so many races, he’s insanely strong and bloody minded enough to do the work even when everyone else is along for a free ride. The result is, everyone takes that ride.
Congratulations to Kwatowski, can’t wait to watch it and see just how much Sagan determined the shape of the finale.
Quote:
I’m not arguing that Sagan didn’t deserve the win, but pointing out that the sentance ” kwatowski didn’t pull once” was factually incorect.
And it’s a race, you don’t have to pull if you don’t want to.
Agree that Kwiatkowski’s
Agree that Kwiatkowski’s tactics were spot on. It is very British of Sky to have to get a Polish guy to do all the work though
Jackson wrote:
Not for long. We are doomed
It happens in very nearly
It happens in very nearly every stage race or one day race, someone pulls a lot more than others who ultimately take the line first.
Sagan is a brilliant rider who has the speed of nigh on every sprinter so why would anyone help him by taking a big turn, especially in one of the Monument races ?????
Well done to Kwia and Sagan, excellent racing from them.
Sky have had a fantastic
Sky have had a fantastic season so far, win Paris Nice, stage victories Tirreno, stages in Herald Sun, the brilliant Kwiatkowski taking strada bianchi and now San Remo. Its great to see so many different names doing well.
To all the Sky haters, the
To all the Sky haters, the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics: I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles.
Jackson wrote:
Still, it was Sagan, who was ‘romantic’ yesterday and Kwiato, who ‘calculated’ the odds.
Jackson wrote:
On the one hand you’re comparing Kwiatkowsky & Sky to Armstrong & US Postal, on the other, you’re complaining that MK didn’t do any work on the front at the end, which, as you know, is the only way he could beat Sagan.
Bit contradictory?
700c wrote:
I’m not complaining he didn’t work, see my comment where I said he was tactically spot on.
Jackson wrote:
10/10.
Jackson wrote:
Jeezuz H…
Once I saw Sagan towing
Once I saw Sagan towing Kwiatkowski to the line, I knew the latter would win. He’s a smart rider and did what anyone with tactical nous would do against Sagan or anyone in a sprint. Sagan very nearly overcame the odds to win the sprint from the front. Credit Kwiatkowski for having the power and awareness to chase when Sagan attacked. Without that, Sagan would have soloed to victory.
I think it might prove wise
I think it might prove wise for some to re-watch the finale.
Sagan’s attack was monsterous and both Kwiato & Allaphillipe proved strong to be able to follow him on the ascent. That being said it was relatively near the top, so by the time they had formed a group they were practically on the decent.
Sagan is a world class and perhaps almost unrivalled descender, he was always going to lead the way going down. It’s in his nature as a bike rider to make sure the move stuck. On the decent the other two would also just be hoping to hold Sagans wheel.
Once they hit the flat it was clear Alaphillipe was never going to work and was there to sit on, cover the move and to hope that he could snatch the win at the death.
Kwaito, however, did work. He took some turns and made sure he did his bit to keep the group behind at bay.
Once they got closer to the via roma he was never going to take the front and risk leading Sagan out. It would be illogical.
It was very well ridden by Sky having 6 men there at the key point of the race and by Kwiato to cover Sagans move, very tactically astute.
It is though, very frustrating, not to see Sagan win. His positive and aggressive bike riding is a joy to watch, he lights up every race he is involved in. His attack was deserving of the win, but unfortunately this result is not new to Sagan, that’s bike racing afterall.
Velo_Dom wrote:
Allaphillipe (Gaviria) and Kwiatowski (Viviani) – both had their sprinters in the group behind so could use that as their reason for not contributing.
Thats two from two WT events ( M-SR and Omloop) this season Sagan has now lost in a small group sprints…
To those insiders who are
To those insiders who are posting crap about Sky I’ll say prove it. If you can’t shut up. Attention seeking children are you not? I say insiders as only someone within the team or possibly the UCI would actually know any thing but they would be too professional to say.
I dare you. Prove it. Go on.
As to tactics. Only an idiot would make life easy for Sagan or anyone else . its a race. You win. That’s the point. Baffles me why people who obviously know nothing open their mouths. Did you say the same about Indurain?
It’s professional sport. The
It’s professional sport. The rewards are massive. You watch it in the knowledge that everyone, in all areas is sailing as close to the wind as possible, in all areas. Or you don’t watch it.
As everyone else has said, Sagan did his best, the others dug deep and raced tactically. That’s racing.
I feel sorry for Sagan, it
I feel sorry for Sagan, it seems very much like Bora did some work earlier on in the race, but come the finish he was left to do it on his own (which he’s capable of) but leaves him with just the one card to play. the way he congratulated Kwiatkowski was really nice to see, he looked genuinely pleased for him (or as pleased as coming second allows), kwiatkowski is one of the few riders who seems to have the measure of Sagan at one day races, he knows how much he can make Sagan work to tire him out without him giving up because he’s getting no assistance.
I’m glad it didn’t come down to a bunch sprint, it was looking like it was going to be a huge group getting to the finish line.
The stats for Kwiatkowski are
The stats for Kwiatkowski are pretty immense, averaging over 500 watts for 5 minutes to get onto Sagan’s wheel at the top of the Poggio…after 280 kms of racing. Great finale, it must have been a hard call for the Sky and Quickstep DS’s as they both had managed to get their sprinters into the group behind without too much drama…and yet both team’s had a chance of a win if the front group pressed on. I think that accounted for some of the initial hesitation for Alaphilipe and Kwiatkowski but they both then helped where they could without doing too much. Sagan eventually just went about 50 yards too soon and it was that which cost him the race IMO, easy for me to say that afterwards whilst watching from the luxury of an armchair…it must have been a little harder to get it exactly right riding that race! Cracking stuff.
Bobbinogs wrote:
The figures you’re quoting are incorrect. Kwiatkowski averaged 434W up the Poggio including a peak 940W to get onto Sagan’s wheel when he went for it near the top of the Poggio. He averaged 234W for the entire race. I’ve screen dumped some of Kwiatkowski’s Strava ride to show the correct numbers. Or you can read the thread where Roadcc
misread(corrected now) his figures, I posted the correct data.http://road.cc/content/news/219408-michal-kwiatkowski-claims-strava-kom-poggio-way-milan-san-remo-win
Well I thought it made for a
Well I thought it made for a thrilling Milan San Remo… I usually begrudge this race as it’s early season build up is often more interesting than the actual race delivers…
I was hoping Cav might have been in for the five seconds of predicted fun/sprint, but my disapointment was more than made up for when Sagan broke for it.. he is bloody amazing. Kwiatowski is on fine form, although I wonder if anyone at team sky has considered getting his ears pinned, got to be worth a couple of watts, marginal gains and all..
You could see Allaphillipe didn’t have it in him, Kwiatowski looked comfortable and predatory in those final few km’s.. I thought Sagan would fade more in the final 300m than he did, which just shows how strong he is.
At 27 Sagan has nine years on Cancellara and ten years on Sean Kelly, whether he’s motivated to continue at his current level, for that long, I don’t know, we can but hope.
I’d love to see Sagan’s
I’d love to see Sagan’s figures. Seeing him ride at MSR the other day was as inspiring as it gets.