Marcel Kittel to ride for Katusha-Alpecin in 2018
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Updated 16/08/2017 at 12:52 GMT
Swiss team Katusha–Alpecin confirmed on Wednesday that German rider Marcel Kittel will join them for the 2018 season from Quick-Step Floors.
Kittel Tour
Image credit: Getty Images
Kittel, 29, wore the green jersey until his retirement with injury at this year's Tour of France, where he won five stages.
However a departure was rumoured for sometime and a slot opened up with Katusha following Alexander Kristoff's move to UAE-Team Emirates. Kittel said in a statement:
I'm really looking forward to a new challenge in new colours. For me, this moment is exciting. With this step, I also hope to get new inspiration. I think, I find all the requirements in the team that I need to be strong in the sprint finals. I saw that the sprint train is functioning very well.
Kittel of course links up with fellow German Tony Martin, who joined Katusha at the start of 2017.
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Kittel comes from five bike lengths back to snare another win
“The little icing on the cake is of course to race again in the same team with my good friend Tony Martin,
“He gave me good insight into the team in my decision-making process. His opinion about the team was of course important to me.”
Kittel is the latest in a series of team changes with Nathan Haas and Ian Boswell already confirmed to arrive next season.
“Team Katusha-Alpecin has undergone a major change in recent years. I've been watching these changes for a long time and I think it's good,” Kittel said. “That is why I am looking forward to being part of the team and share the direction they are headed. Team spirit has always been important to me and for this reason also I've become a pro cyclist.”
Team manager Jose Azevedo spoke of his delight at securing Kittel whom he called 'the best sprinter in the world.'
We are very happy to have Marcel in the team. We can say that he is at the moment the best sprinter in the world. He showed this quite impressively in the Tour de France where he won five stages. He will be one of our most important riders and can look forward to strong team support. We will try to support him in the best possible way to ensure that he can continue his successful results.
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