World champion Michal Kwiatkowski will leave Etixx-Quick-Step at the end of the season, team boss Patrick Lefevere confirmed to Sporza on the second Tour de France rest day.

One of the reasons for the Pole’s departure is his desire to go after the general classification at the Tour, which Lefevere wasn’t keen for him to do.

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Kwiatkowski is reportedly likely to join Team Sky, from who he has already received an offer from. He said before the Tour that he would prefer to stay at Etixx, but has seemingly had a change of heart.

“Two years ago Kwiatkowski completely cracked in order to be eleventh in the Tour. That’s why I advised him not to go for GC. He was pretty mad at me,” Lefevere told Sporza.

“That’s one of the reasons that Kwiatkowski will leave us. But a rider is like a car. You can have a big engine but you also have your body. If he is 10 kilograms heavier than the real climbers, Quintana will always drop him.”

If he joins Team Sky it’s unlikely that Kwiatkowski will be given free rein to go for the GC in the Tour, but he would undoubtedly lead the team in the Ardennes Classics.

Under UCI regulations, teams and riders cannot discuss transfers until August 1, although negotiations between agents often happens well before that date.

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