News: Kittel – stage 1 will be nervous

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Marcel Kittel of Etixx Quickstep – “Although the pressure is there, I’m going into Saturday’s stage confident and relaxed”

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News: Kittel – stage 1 will be nervous

Team Press Release

Returning to the Tour de France – a race in which he has tasted success in on eight occasions – after two years, Marcel Kittel will head up the Etixx – Quick-Step team looking to add more wins to the ten he already got this season.

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This is what much of the world is expecting to happen on stage 1 of the Tour de France but its Le Tour and the sprints are like no other in the year. Photo: Tim DeWaele

It’s a tally which makes him the most successful World Tour rider of 2016: “I’m satisfied with how this year went so far. I worked hard, the team did absolutely everything to support me and things played into my favour. Now I am looking forward to the Tour and I hope to have three good weeks. Although the pressure is there, I’m going into Saturday’s stage confident and relaxed.”

The sprints – with their frenzy, intense fight for position, crazy speeds and mad dash to the line – are one of cycling’s highlights, but in order to be there, at the business end of a flat stage and take the icing on the cake, you need a well-oiled machine as your lead out train.

Less than 24 hours before the Tour de France kicks off in the spectacular surroundings of Mont-Saint-Michel, Kittel explained the anatomy of the team for the flat stages of the Tour de France: “Fabio is the last man in front of me. We worked together all year and I like that he’s calm and knows when to go, but also when to sit and wait patiently for the right moment.”

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Can Marcel wear yellow to go with the Pink from the Tour of Italy – we’ll find out tomorrow afternoon (Saturday). Photo: Tim DeWaele

“It’s one of the keys of sprinting to have such a reliable guy by your side. In front of him we have Max and Tony, two experienced and strong riders. Petr and Julian also bring an important contribution to the team, while Julien and Iljo, both incredible powerful riders, are the ones who can control the race. As for Dan, it will be very important for him to stay out of trouble in the sprint.”

For the third time in five years, the Tour de France will open with a road stage, which will take the peloton from Mont-Saint-Michel to Utah Beach, a key point during the Normandy landings, more than seven decades ago. The parcours is flat, but a couple of bumps will come into play in the final kilometres, when the bunch is expected to hit some really fast speeds. Besides these, another important factor in the outcome will be the weather, as rain and crosswinds are forecasted for Saturday.

“The last kilometres will be nervous and fast: downhill, straight forward and with no corners. You need a good position, but also to be lucky. As that part is a downhill, having a strong team doesn’t bring you such a big advantage, because many squads will be there, with their sprinters and GC men, fighting to get at the front” Marcel concluded.

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