Michal Kwiatkowski continues to impress in 2014, with La Fleche Wallonne providing his first Spring Classics podium spot.

Leading out the sprint up the Mur de Huy, the Polish champion didn’t have enough to beat Valverde or Martin, but it was another big step in his fledgling career.

Save for Valverde and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), few riders have been in such imperious form this season as Kwiatkowski, who has continually impressed across the board – so much so that his fifth place at the Amstel Gold Race was  considered by some as an underachievement for the young Pole.

Backed by one of the peloton’s strongest teams, which includes Jan Bakelants and Wout Poels in the Ardennes, Kwiatkowski is more than capable of doing  better than that in Liege. Last year’s Spring Classics ended in disappointment for the 22-year-old, unable to follow up top-five spots at the Amstel Gold Race and La Fleche Wallonne. This time out, few expect the same problem to strike.