Marcel Kittel 'looking good' for Scheldeprijs; Cavendish not riding
Marcel Kittel back on track after virus ruined early season; Scheldeprijs organiser confirms that Mark Cavendish will not take part

German sprint king Marcel Kittel is set to defend his title at Scheldeprijs next Wednesday in what will mark a long-awaited return to competition following illness.
The Flanders classic holds pride of place for sprinters including three-time champion Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep), who surprisingly has not been named on a provisional start-list that includes Kittel, Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha).
Race organisers today confirmed Cavendish was not due to start.
“Cav is taking a couple of weeks off,” a spokesperson said.
Kittel has been a notable absence from competition for most of the early season and not raced since the Tour of Qatar in February after which Giant-Alpecin confirmed he was suffering from a virus.
Marcel Kittel fighting for fitness after energy-sapping virus
“I don’t know exactly what virus it was, and to be honest I don’t think our doctor knew what it was, but it was with fever and a few days he was really sick,” said head coach Rudi Kemna.
“After the race he had a really bad feeling about his total body and power. We didn’t want him to come back too quick. It’s better to have a really good feeling again, also in training, and that looks good now.”
The eight-time Tour de France stage winner began training on schedule about two weeks ago.
“That will take his level up and it’s going well,” Kemna said. “It’s not perfect, that’s what I hear from the trainer, but he feels well.”
Kittel won Scheldeprijs, the rich 204km race from diamond capital Antwerp to Schoten, for a record third consecutive time last year joining Cavendish and Belgian Piet Oellibrandt as the only riders to claim as many editions, albeit not consecutively.
The 26-year-old started his season at the Tour Down Under in January, winning the prelude criterium, but did not figure in the official stages. He fell ill after the WorldTour opener and despite fighting on at Qatar was a late withdrawal from Tirreno-Adriatico in March.
He, Cavendish and Greipel are yet to face-off this season with illness and alternate race programmes denying cycling fans a chance to see the trio compete at the same race.
Kittel has been confirmed for the May 1-3 Tour de Yorkshire, the place he earned a career second maillot jaune last year winning the Tour de France Grand Depart in Harrogate before going on to claim line honours in stage three from Cambridge to London.
The UK and Ireland have proved to be fertile soil for the fast-man, who also powered to Giro d’Italia stage victories in Belfast and Dublin, respectively, and two stages of the Tour of Britain in 2014.
Twitter: @SophieSmith86
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Sophie Smith is an Australian journalist, television reporter and presenter, who has provided coverage for Cycling Weekly from races across the world. She has covered eight Tours de France, as well as reporting for national and international newspapers as well as other magazines.
Follow Sophie Smith on Twitter and Instagram:
Instagram: sophiesmith86
Twitter: @SophieSmith86
-
-
Fabio Jakobsen 'fairytale' keeps Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl flying high at Tour de France
Yves Lampaert might have lost the yellow jersey, but two wins in two days mean an almost-perfect Grand Départ
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wout Van Aert into yellow on Tour de France stage two after 'boring' bridge
Belgian finishes second for 25th time, but this podium placing came with a bonus
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish confident of strong Giro d'Italia but attempts to manage expectations: 'People seem to forget I had a punctured lung at the end of November'
The Manxman seemed motivated in the press conference as he returns to the Italian Grand Tour after a nine-year hiatus
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Mark Cavendish frustrated on final Tour of Oman stage as Jan Hirt wins overall
Sprinter boxed out on stage six finish, as Fernando Gaviria triumphs
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Mark Cavendish loses green jersey and fined at Tour of Oman ahead of stage six
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl penalised by race jury for being pushed back to peloton by car
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish crashes 'quite heavily' on stage five of Tour of Oman
Jan Hirt takes stage win and race lead atop Green Mountain on the penultimate day
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish raring to get 2022 campaign underway at Tour of Oman: 'It doesn't matter how you're going until you compare yourself with the other people'
Cavendish starts his 2022 campaign at the the Tour of Oman on Thursday
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Mark Cavendish set to return from Ghent Six crash with season debut at Tour of Oman
Cavendish has recovered from the two broken ribs and punctured lung he suffered at the end of November to lead Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl in Oman
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Police search for two men in connection to Mark Cavendish aggravated burglary case
Police have asked people to come forward if they know their whereabouts
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Man charged with robbery at Mark Cavendish's house
A 30-year-old will appear in court today after armed men broke into the cyclist's home last month
By Ryan Dabbs • Published