Michal Kwiatkowski: "I proved to myself that I have to be patient, because sooner or later victory will come"
Cycling
Today's Amstel Gold Race saw a relative surprise winner today as Michal Kwiatkowski came back in style once again to win the race for the second time in his career. The Polish star hadn't won since the 2020 Tour de France and when he gets the freedom to go for his results he often leaves a mark.
After INEOS blew up the peloton in the decisive sectors in the race inside the final 40 kilometers, Kwiatkowski and Pidcock found themselves in the leading group of 11 riders. Kwiatkowski attacked shortly after the Cauberg and into flatter roads, and was joined by Benoît Cosnefroy with who he worked together to build the winning gap. Kwiatkowski said: “It was therefore not up to me to make the difference [to the chasing group] bigger... It was really tough, it was a tough race, and a really tough final. I knew I could win, but especially the last 50 meters were very difficult. Cosnefroy kept accelerating, even when I came alongside in the sprint. But I only came here to win.”
After the sprint the race winner was unclear. Cosnefroy was initially told he had won, but some minutes later the photo finish revealed the outcome of the sprint favoured the INEOS rider: “It was very unclear. I was very disappointed at first, because for me it was all about winning, I learned from last year's situation with Tom, you really have to wait to cheer. That's why I still can't believe it. Maybe they will come back later that I didn't win after all,"
“It's nice to win here, because I love this race. I've had a lot of bad moments this year, with corona, flu and illness. I was unable to follow my planned program for a long time… And now I have won the Amstel Gold Race. I proved to myself that I have to be patient, because sooner or later victory will come. The start of the season was very tough, because my family got sick and I couldn't train because of that. It was a difficult period to come back, but now I am here," he concluded.
His spring has had the targeted success, but Kwiatkowski will now race the remaining Ardennes classics where he will have more opportunities to succeed.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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It’s all about believing! What a feeling 🤩 Great job Team 💪 Amazing ride @BenoitCosnefroy 👏 Thank You everyone who stood by me! @INEOSGrenadiers 🏆 @Amstelgoldrace
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