Last year Marcel Kittel went to the Ster ZLM Toer hoping to prove to his then Giant-Alpecin team that he was in good enough shape for their Tour de France team after struggling for several months with viruses that eroded his form. Yet the German came away from the Dutch stage race having failed to convince Giant’s management that he was ready. As a result, instead of staking their Tour hopes on a sprinter who had won eight stages in the two previous Tours, Giant decided to omit him from their line-up.
Twelve months on, Kittel’s situation could hardly be any more different. Speaking to Cyclingnews on the eve of the Ster ZLM Toer, the German is in new team colours and looks revitalised, a smile never far from his face. Ten wins including two at the Giro d’Italia for Etixx-Quickstep back up that assessment.
“Things have changed massively since I came to this race last year. Back then my form wasn’t good and there were all kinds of questions hanging over me,” Kittel said. “It couldn’t be any more different coming back here this year.
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“But it is what it is, and I’m happy that we’re a year on from that time and that the situation is very different and definitely a lot better than last time. It’s good to have my focus back on what I’d like it to be on, which is what is coming up at the Tour and especially in the sprints.”
The Dutch race is his first since he pulled out of the Giro prior to the stage nine Chianti time trial due to fatigue. After a month out of racing, he’s arrived at it with his focus on fine-tuning his form before the Tour, which begins in a fortnight. He insists he’s not thinking about July too much, but is relishing his return to the sport’s biggest race, which begins with a stage to Utah Beach which should end with a bunch sprint that will put the winner in the yellow jersey.
“It doesn’t occupy my thoughts too much at the moment, but I know it’s not far away now and I am thinking about it, but not daily and certainly not every hour or second,” he said. “I do have my objectives for the Tour. I definitely know about the first stage and I want to be good on that day. However, like every previous year, I’ll start the Tour and just see how it goes, take it day by day. Of course, the first stage is very important, but it’s not the end of the Tour de France.”
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