Katarzyna Niewiadoma: “I feel like I’m just missing this 1% that could allow me to be the strongest"

Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Canyon-SRAM belongs among the best women cyclists in world. Her 2023 is by no means bad, with top 5 results from Ronde van Vlaanderen and Amstel Gold Race for example. That's why it comes as a surprise that the Polish cyclist has been waiting for a victory for nearly four years now. She talked about this and much more in depth at Wheel Talk Podcast.

"Before the beginning of this season I felt confident and I felt like I made progress over the winter time and I felt strong and I was definitely hoping for different results,” Niewiadoma told the Wheel Talk Podcast. 

“I had some bad luck at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then Strade Bianche was, of course, my main goal. Being left behind by Lotte Kopecky as if I was standing still on the last gravel section was a reality check.”  

“Finishing fourth or fifth – I think I have gone so many years already that I feel like I’m stuck in the same position,” she said.

“I feel like I’m just missing this 1% that could allow me to be the strongest because I feel like in some ways, not feeling the strongest is also a motivating feeling,” Niewiadoma said. “I’ve been searching for this the whole season so far."

“Many times this season I would be like ‘What am I doing? What’s wrong?’ But then after all those negative feelings, you realize that you care about the sport. So in some ways, it kind of turns into motivation or it turns into something that allows you to keep your mind open to finding new ways to be better. How to beat somebody, how to change the race tactic. You are constantly thinking about improving. Once you stop thinking about improving and wanting to change something that’s when you lose motivation.”

Niewiadoma has recently finished Itzulia Women as 3rd overall and is now enjoying well-deserved rest before Tour de France Femmes where she's expected to lead her team in general classification.