Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep)
Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep)
World champion Michal Kwiatkowski won the Amstel Gold Race last weekend, his first road race victory since pulling on the rainbow jersey.
The Ardennes Classics are races which are well well-suited to the Polish ace, who has proved himself to be more-than adept at conquering short, steep climbs.
Indeed, last year’s hilly Classics saw the 24-year-old start to deliver on his undoubted potential, with podium finishes at La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Kwiatkowski’s Amstel Gold Race win took his Etixx-QuickStep team to the top of the world rankings and he will be supported by a strong cast on Sunday. Julian Alaphilippe was second at La Fleche Wallonne, while Tony Martin had put in a huge shift for the Belgian team as the attacks started coming on the final lap.
However, all eyes will be on the rainbow jersey of Kwiatkowski at Liege-Bastogne-Liege to see if he can deliver a first career Monument win.
Form guide
Best Liege-Bastogne-Liege result: Third (2015)
2015 season: Volta ao Algarve (second), Paris-Nice (one stage win (ITT), second overall), Dwars door Vlaanderen (fourth), Amstel Gold Race (winner).
Current UCI WorldTour ranking: Fifth