"I really like that the team has several trump cards" - Michal Kwiatkowski excited to support his talented leaders at Tour de France

Long gone are the days when Michal Kwiatkowski was sitting on top of the cycling world. But that doesn't mean the versatile rider has gotten worse as he occasionally confirms (stage win at Tour de France 2023, Amstel Gold Race 2022,...) . Kwiatkowski simply found his purpose at INEOS Grenadiers as an important link between the engines for flat and GC leaders

His team is building what some refer to as 'a monster team' for approaching Tour de France. How does Kwiatkowski view the selection? "Carlos Rodriguez has surprised me many times," the Pole told In de Leiderstrui. "He is still very young, but actually already so mature. In the Basque Country he comes second, in Romandie he wins. That's really impressive. Last year he finished fifth at the Tour. His talent is therefore beyond doubt. This also applies to Tom Pidcock, with whom we can go in many directions. He has the qualities to go for a classification, but also to act as a stage hunter."

The 34-year-old former world champion doesn't mind his role of a loyal teammate within the team: "For me it's great to be in a team with guys like that and to be able to help them," Kwiatkowski continued. "And as for Egan: it's really cool how he's working his way back. That boy has made a fantastic comeback. Seeing such a great champion back at the forefront is simply great."

"I really like that the team has several trump cards in a competition like the Tour. Our selection is indeed quite strong and I am very happy with that. It must be said that not all places have been definitively filled, but at the end of the day it is always better to have several top riders with you. And with a selection like ours, we can be pretty sure of that. If a particular stage is coming up, you can still decide a lot on the day itself about tactics and the like. That's wonderful racing."