After his strong performance in last Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) continued to demonstrate good form, and the ability to contest difficult finals with the best of the peloton, by placing 5th at 205 km Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday.

Kwiatkowski was amongst a very small group that was able to contest the final podium spots on the Mur de Huy after OPQS did a tremendous job protecting him throughout the race.

"I am really happy about my performance today," Kwiatkowski said. "We started this morning with a plan to protect me, 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 also felt 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 all accelerations. Then on the steepest part I had the power to pass well. In the last 300 metres 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 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."