Marcel Kittel nabbed his fourth stage victory of the 2017 Tour de France in Bergerac on Monday, confirming that his new strategy of coming from behind is the best way for the powerful German to win the ever-more hectic and ever-more dangerous sprints.
Kittel seemed to fortuitously fight his way from behind when he won in Liège and Troyes, and now Quick-Step Floors team manager Patrick Lefevere has confirmed to Cyclingnews that Kittel has specifically asked the team to set him up for a late charge to the line.
Kittel's success with this method marks a further evolution in sprinting tactics at the Tour de France. Long lead-out trains are no longer effective as no one team can control the front of the bunch long enough. Kittel so far avoided any of the cutthroat fighting for the best that his rivals have endured, choosing instead to sit back and wait for an opening to present itself.
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"He prefers to come from behind, that's his wish. He doesn't want the team to lead him out, he wants to come from the second line," Lefevere revealed to Cyclingnews.
"He knows that there's a risk of being blocked in. It happened on the day when Sagan and Cavendish clashed and we missed out. But we're happy with the change in lead-out tactics. He asked for just one guy to stay with him and bring him to be where wants to be with a kilometre to go. Fabio Sabatini does that."
Kittel has always preferred a 'clean' sprint so that he can use his muscular physique to the maximum and produce a high burst of power and speed. He was often left frustrated when Mark Cavendish, Nacer Bouhanni and others fought for the wheels, rubbed shoulders at 70 kilometres per hour, and zigzagged across the road.
Keeping both Kittel and Gaviria happy in 2018
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