Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski might be softly spoken, but he has never shied away from a challenge. The Polish road race champion is a rider who has been able to turn his hand to just about anything over the years, but one thing remains on his bucket list, or what he calls his 'moon-shot plan': overall victory at the Tour de France.
Since turning professional with RadioShack back in 2011, Kwiatkowski's wins have included Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, Amstel Gold, and E3 Harelbeke. He is also, of course, a former road race world champion and won the Worlds team time trial title with QuickStep in 2013.
One thing the 28-year-old has not yet nailed is how to win a Grand Tour. His best finish came at his debut Tour de France in 2013, when he finished 11th overall. He has since not been able to repeat that success, and in recent years has instead worked as a support rider rather than a leader.
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However, winning the Tour has always been in the back of his mind and the success of his Sky teammate Geraint Thomas last year gives him the confidence that it could work out for him in the future.
"For sure, in the future being there as a leader is my moon-shot plan," Kwiatkowski tells Cyclingnews. "I haven't had the chances like I did at QuickStep to ride with a sprinters' team and try to ride for the GC there. But the thought of trying to win has always been there with me, and it has been driving me to climb better and time trial better. It's not that the plan has to work out in the next couple of months; it's something that you have to work for over many years, but I'm making progress.
"You could see it in the stage races last year," he continued. "My climbing abilities and time trialling abilities are moving in that direction, so let's hope that one day I'll be able to feel great and do it like Geraint Thomas did. He was on a similar path for many years, chasing and being there with [Chris] Froome, working hard for so many years, and then one year it worked out perfectly, which was last year. Let's hope one day I can do that as well."
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