Stephen Williams’ victory at last year’s La Flèche Wallonne epitomised just how much adversity he can handle. Through freezing rain and a snow flurry, he had the reserves and punch to beat his remaining hardy rivals on the Mur de Huy. The biggest win of his career was part of a breakthrough 2024 year of six victories.

The Welshman has been back in the eye of a different storm this season. He is suffering with quadriceps tendinopathy in his right knee, which flared up after his return from racing Australia’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in February. “Everything was normal. A couple of days later, I woke up and had this sharp pain on the top of my patella. Nine months later, I’m still in this battle,” the NSN Cycling rider tells Cycling Weekly .

The injury is inflammation of the

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