Marcel Kittel will ride for Katusha-Alpecin in 2018 after signing a two-year contract with the team. The German arrives at Katusha from Quick-Step Floors, where he spent the past two seasons.
Kittel won five stages at this year’s Tour de France and wore the green jersey up to his abandon in the final week, but despite that success, a departure from Quick-Step Floors had been rumoured throughout the summer.
Katusha’s German backers – sub-sponsor Alpecin and bike supplier Canyon – meant that the team was always a likely landing spot for Kittel, who raced in the colours of Giant-Alpecin before joining Quick-Step last year. Alexander Kristoff’s transfer to UAE-Team Emirates for the 2018 also meant that there was a vacancy for a sprinter in the Katusha-Alpecin line-up.
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“I'm really looking forward to a new challenge in new colours,” Kittel said in a statement released by Katusha on Wednesday. “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.”
In 2013, Katusha’s doping record was such that it had to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in order to receive a WorldTour licence, but the team has sought to amend its image in recent years. José Azevedo took over as team manager ahead of the 2017 season, and the squad switched its registration from Russia to Switzerland.
The acquisition of Kittel marks a further step in the team’s process of rebranding. The German will be one of a number of new faces at Katusha-Alpecin in 2018, with Nathan Haas and Ian Boswell already confirmed among the team’s signings for next season.
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