Michal Kwiatkowski got the better of Peter Sagan to win in Italy. Team Sky snatched a victory away from Saga, who seemed destined to win until the final stretch.Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski pipped world champion Peter Sagan in a thrilling finish to the Milan-San Remo race on Saturday, snatching victory in the final few yards.
It looked as if Slovakia’s Sagan was going to become the first world champion to win the race since 1983, but Poland’s Kwiatkowski earned a much-needed victory for Team Sky. Sagan attacked on the final Poggia climb near the end of the 291-kilometer (181-mile) race from Milan to San Remo, but was undone in the final meters as Kwiatkowski surged through to take the first Monument Classic of his career.
Julian Alaphilippe ended up third and Alexander Kristoff won the bunch sprint for fourth place, five seconds behind the front three.
It is welcome news for Britain’s Team Sky who have been under intense scrutiny after an investigation into a medical package delivered to former rider Bradley Wiggins at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine has tainted the team’s image.
jh/dv (AP, Reuters)
