As Marcel Kittel sprinted to victory on the final stage of the Dubai Tour, taking the overall success in the process, he not only distanced many of his rivals but also his own doubts and the question marks that lingered after his troubled 2015 season.
The German joked that shaking hands with soccer legend Diego Maradona on the final podium might help his ball skills but he proved that he does not need any help with his sprinting.
“2016 is a new chapter for me with a new team and new people. It’s really, really great to start like this. I’m super happy and super thankful for the support from the new team during the winter and from my teammates here. This is a very important victory for me,” Kittel explained in the post-race press conference.
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“I’m happy with my two stage wins and of the course with the GC win. It doesn’t happen often for a sprinter. But we’ve got to keep calm; it’s only the beginning of February and the season runs until October. I can be sure that my form is good and the team fits well but the real challenges are still ahead of us.
“My goal now is to still have some highlights to come in 2016. The biggest driving force is having a new team and trying to prove myself after 2015, and trying to show the world my talent and how good I can be.”
Kittel’s decision to leave Giant-Alpecin for Etixx-QuickStep was not taken lightly. The 27-year-old's sprinting style is all about muscle but he’s a sensitive person and had grown attached to the team that had helped him develop into one of the best sprinters in the peloton. He still finds it difficult to talk about his decision.
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