INEOS beats UAE and Visma - Michal Kwiatkowski wins Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior after huge battle in the gravel

Michal Kwiatkowski does not win often at this point in his career but when he does he wins big! After almost two years without one (his last one being at the 2023 Tour de France), Michal Kwiatkowski has once again brought a victory for INEOS Grenadiers at the thrilling Clásica Jaén Paraiso Interior.

The 169-kilometer race saw a breakaway win last year but surprisingly there wasn't a big battle to form a front group this time around. Clément Alleno, Edgar Curto, Ibon Ruiz, Ricard Fitó, Adrian Benito Gonazles, Yentl Vandevelde and Julen Arriola-Bengoa formed the escapees group.

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Until the gravel sectors began, nothing much happened, but when the peloton entered the narrow roads it immediately kicked off. With 67 kilometers to go Egan Bernal, Tim Wellens and Ben Tulett would already go on the attack - INEOS, UAE and Visma respectively would have a major battle for the win on the day, with plenty tactics to use.

The small group was caught but shortly after, with many moves happening, Michal Kwiatkowski and Brandon McNulty went up the road and caught up with some of the breakaway's survivors. Ibon Ruiz managed to hold on to the duo for a long time afterwards. In the peloton Visma worked to keep the gap manageable for Wout van Aert to close it down, but after it was evident that he was being heavily marked, the Belgian himself began to work for Tulett.

After van Aert finished his work the group was in constant motion, with the gap coming down to as little as 15 seconds, but it was not closed. The race was then decided with 15 kilometers to go as in front McNulty punctured, and shortly after Kwiatkowski dropped Ruiz whilst from behind the riders had to close down a gap that had grown big once again.

Kwiatkowski would go on to take a big solo win, a very meaningful for the former World Champion who hadn't shown a performance like this in a long time. Isaac del Toro rode to a second place after sustaining a late attack from behind whilst Ibon Ruiz - the day's hero - held on from the early breakaway to finish an impressive third on the day.

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