“4½ months later… I’m finally back" - Former world champion returns to racing after injury nightmare

After more than four months away from racing, Michal Kwiatkowski made his return to the peloton at the Clasica San Sebastian on Saturday. The 35-year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider placed 89th in his first appearance since abandoning stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico on March 14. A knee injury had kept him sidelined since then, following a frustrating DNF at Strade Bianche and an early season win at Clasica Jaen that promised more. His time away was longer than expected, shaped by misdiagnosis and weeks of uncertainty.

“4½ months later… I’m finally back at the start line. I’d never been through anything like this in my career. A stubborn knee pain turned my life into a mental roller-coaster: nine weeks of fighting the pain and hunting for answers. One day you feel on top of the world, the next you wonder if it’s the end of the road."

Initially believed to be related to a crash, the source of his pain turned out to be biomechanical. That breakthrough only came after an extended period of trial and error, during which his frustration mounted. “After a long battle we finally traced the problem to a biomechanical issue - not the crash and it’s fallout like we first thought. Huge thanks to my coach, our physios, doctors, and every single member of INEOS Grenadiers."

Kwiatkowski, who has won two Tour stages and the rainbow jersey in his career, was quick to credit the support network around him for getting him through what he described as one of the toughest periods of his career. “You never let me fight alone. And to my family - this was tough for all of us.

"Agata, you were always by my side and gave me the best support I could ever dream of. Without family and friends, moments like this are hard to get through. This injury taught me patience and reminded me, how much the small wins matter."

Looking ahead, the former world champion is eager to make the most of the second half of the season, with his home race in Poland next on the calendar and the Vuelta a España a potential target. “Now I’m hungry for every race number I pin on. San Sebastián done Next up: racing at home in Poland, in front of Polish fans, that’s special. And if everything goes to plan, the Vuelta a España and a strong finish to the season are waiting. Thanks for sticking with me. Let’s keep this story rolling.”