Kwiatkowski makes triumphant return to Poland after world championships win
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
30.09.2014 08:49
Michal Kwiatkowski returned to Poland, Monday night, displaying gold won at the 2014 World Cycling Championships, where he became the first Pole ever to win the coveted Rainbow Jersey.
Michal Kwiatkowski is met by fans at warsaw's international airport: photo - PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
The 24 year-old, still a little tongue tied after his remarkable win through the rainy streets of Ponferrada, Spain on Sunday, thanked the eight-man Polish team for their support during the men's UCI world championship road race: “I hope I will be able to repay them in the future,” he said.
With him in the arrivals hall at Warsaw's Okecie airport was Agnieszka Skalniak, who took bronze in the junior women's road race last Friday.
Kwiatkowski with Agnieszka Skalniak, who won the bronze medal for Poland during the junior women's event at the UCI world championships: photo - PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
A remarkable season for Kwiatkowski, who rides for the Omega Pharma-Quick Step trade team, is not over yet as he still has a race to ride, and maybe win, at the weekend.
"I would like to thank everyone for the welcome. I still have to ride in the Tour of Lombardy [on Sunday] in which I have started three times and failed to finish three times. But it will be fitting to arrive at the finishing line in the rainbow jersey,” he told a throng of supporters who were waiting for his return from Spain.
As world champion, Kwiatkowski will wear the prestigious world champion's rainbow jersey in every race he competes in next season.(pg)