Kwiatkowski claims Trofeo Deià

Chilly winter weather and a tough day of climbing could not stop Polish champion Michel Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) from claiming an impressive first win of the season in the TraMuntana Trophy high in the mountains of Mallorca on Tuesday.

Together with Sky's Sergio Henao, Kwiatkowski bridged across the early break of the day, a six-rider move including Omega Pharma Quick Step team-mate Petr Vakoc, towards the summit of the first category Puig Major climb, the toughest challenge on a day featuring five classified ascents and barely a metre of flat.

Then with about five kilometres to go, as the road twisted sharply down towards the finish at the lonely monastery of Lluc, perched high amidst the granite screeslopes of the Tramuntana mountains on the island's north side, the Polish National Champion tore away from the small front group for a commanding lone victory - his first and Omega Pharma-Quick Step's fifth of 2014. Having swept up the remnants of the break, an 18-rider chasing move was led in by Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen 27 seconds later.

Well wrapped up against the biting winds, Kwiatkowski explained that "it was very fast at the start of the stage, everybody wanted to be in the break and it was only when they got away that things calmed down a bit." At one point the early move gained a nine minute advantage before Sky and Movistar combined to bring things back for the final ascent of Puig Mayor close enough for Henao and Kwiatkowski to go clear.

"Henao went first, and at first I wasn't sure what to do because neither Lampre nor Movistar reacted, so finally I decided to go across and try to catch him. When I did, we worked together and I'd like to thank him, because we collaborated well and that was good for both of us."

"When we got across to the break, Vakoc pulled a little bit so I could rest slightly and I could make my final attack. I was a bit surprised when I attacked that no-one could follow but I was pleased, too. I'd done a few training rides here so I knew with about 15 seconds advantage on a descent like that with two or three kilometres it wouldn't be possible for anybody to catch me. I was worried the roads might be a bit slippery under the trees, too, but it was fine."

Still only 23, last year was the Pole's breakthrough season, with highlights a spell in the lead of Tirreno-Adriatico and fourth overall, a lengthy period in the Best Young Rider's jersey at the Tour de France, where he finished eleventh overall, the Polish national championships and World Championships team time trial victories and - as if that was not enough - top five finishes in Amstel and Flèche Wallone. Kwiatkowski has hardly rested on his laurels though, training hard in Spain over the winter and spending only a couple of days back home in the last two months.

"I knew from training that I was going well, but even so I didn't expect to be so good here," he said. "Everything went well over the winter, though, and to start the season like that couldn't be better." Kwiatkowski will now race the final day of the Mallorca Challenge before heading onto the Tour of the Algarve next week - where he finished second overall last year.

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