Waremme, Belgium--World champion Michal Kwiatkowski will be a marked man when the 205.5km Fleche Wallonne Ardennes Classic race gets underway on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Pole comes into the race off the back of a sensational victory at Sunday's Amstel Gold race.
Not since Philippe Gilbert in 2011 has anyone managed to triumph in all three Ardennes Classics in the same season but Kwiatkowski has ridden into form at just the right time and would seem a good bet for just such a feat.
The Etixx-Quick Step rider's in bullish mood to boot.
"For sure, winning Amstel Gold Race in the rainbow jersey (of the world champion) means a lot to both me and the team, and it is another example of how strong we are as a collective," said Kwiatkowski.
"I built up really well for this race, and winning (there), which was my goal, I cannot describe my emotions. It's really big for me at this point in my career."
Last year he followed up a fifth placed finish in Amstel with third at both Fleche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
That was a marked improvement on the year before when he took fourth at Amstel and fifth at Fleche before Liege proved a race too far for such a young rider and he trailed in 92nd.
Kwiatkowski, though, has gone from strength to strength since then and after winning Strade Bianche last year in March, he ended the season by winning the world title in September.
Last year at the infamous Mur de Huy finish to the Fleche, he didn't quite time his attack right, going too soon and being easily overhauled by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde, who was second behind the Pole at Amstel.
AFP
