Marcel Kittel: I'm looking forward to 2014
Marcel Kittel was the fastest sprinter at the Tour de France this year but continues to avoid boastful titles preferring to let his performances speak for themselves.
The German is currently in Japan having participated in Saturday's Saitama Criterium - an exhibition race designed to promote the Tour and cycling there - and is set to begin pre-season upon return.
Kittel (Argos-Shimano) won four stages at the Tour this year in what was a bookend performance that saw him claim the first yellow jersey of the race and line honours on the Champs Elysees.
"The days and weeks after the Tour were very exhausting and also in some ways demanding because you had to talk a lot," he told Cycling Weekly."There's media interest but also your friends and family, they all want to know how it was and you have to tell all the stories.
"I took time for that and then it was hard to also still concentrate on training and to do everything perfect, or good enough. That made it not so easy but in the end I'm happy I did it because it was a very nice situation. It was a very nice Tour de France. Now I enjoy my holiday and I'm looking forward to 2014."
The 25-year-old was the only sprinter, other than regular Mark Cavendish, to attend the 2014 Tour route presentation in Paris on Wednesday before flying to Tokyo. Kittel will have a chance to repeat his Corsica opener success with the Leeds Grand Depart next year suited to the fast-men.
The sprint competition at the 100th edition was anything but a foregone conclusion and Rod Ellingworth, Cavendish's former coach, has been the latest to allude to a change in pace telling an audience at the recent London Sports Writers Festival that his past student was not "the fastest at the moment".
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Kittel has taken Tour success in his stride and is in discussions about a race programme for the New Year following an informal team meeting earlier this month.
"I always said it's from race to race different, but I think I showed that I belong to the fastest guys in the peloton and that I can beat
also the other fastest guys," he said.
"I'm also aware of the fact that I will lose again races in the future. I think that when you
know that it keeps you concentrated on your goal of winning races but
you can easily deal with a defeat."
Kittel defined his biggest advantage this season as a mixture of his own versatility and the strength of his dynamic Dutch team that was awarded a WorldTour licence at the end of last year.
"It's really important to have a lead-out train and to have a team that helps you," said Kittel. "If it's a hectic final - like the last 300, 400, 500m - you can maybe, if you're really strong, do it yourself. I showed that not only at the Tour but at other races as well that I can, if it's necessary, go for myself alone."
Kittel discusses doping, the strength of Argos-Shimano plus Mark Renshaw reuniting with Cavendish in Cycling Weekly magazine, on sale Thursday for £2.99.
Related links
Iwan Spekenbrink praises Marcel Kittel after 'queen sprint'
Tour stage winner Marcel Kittel eyes upcoming sprints
Marcel Kittel thrilled to finally beat the Tour de France's best
Marcel Kittel ready to continue winning streak at Tour de France
Marcel Kittel: The young generation has a very clear idea of what cycling should be
Thank you for reading 20 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, broadcaster and author of Pain & Privilege: Inside Le Tour. She follows the WorldTour circuit, working for British, Australian and US press, and has covered 10 Tours de France.
-
Undercover Mechanic: Cyclists have become very excited about aerodynamics without a correlated excitement for pilates - the result is a lot of spacers
90% of the front area is you, not the bike; having a kamtail downtube will make sod all difference if you’re unable to reach the bars, argues CW’s Undercover Mechanic
By Undercover Mechanic Published
-
Marianne Vos rides self-inflating tyre system to UCI Gravel World Championship victory
Vos used a €3.898,00 wheelset with a kinetic compressor to win her first mixed surface rainbow jersey
By Joe Baker Published
-
‘You can see the power you need to survive the Tour de France’ - Marcel Kittel reflects on his most successful years
Marcel Kittel retired from professional cycling as not only one of the best sprinters of his generation, but one of the most successful in the history of the Tour de France.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
Marcel Kittel talks us through his best year
Marcel Kittel has been pondering the question for a week. “How do you define your best year? Do you take victories as the most important factor?” It was what Chris Marshall Bell assumed when he first made contact for this interview
By Simon Richardson Published
-
‘Cycling is beautiful but professional sport is another story’: Marcel Kittel on his decision to retire at 31
Marcel Kittel has shared more of his motivation for retiring from pro racing at 31.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
'I took some time for myself': Marcel Kittel gives update on his time off the bike
The German sprinter quit his Katusha-Alpecin team in May
By Jonny Long Published
-
'I felt unbeatable until he came along': Mark Cavendish pays tribute to great rival Marcel Kittel
Cavendish has thanked Kittel for being a rival that lifted his game after the German quit Katusha-Alpecin to take a break from racing
By Jonny Long Published
-
'I'm facing a difficult period': Marcel Kittel responds to criticism over poor form
Team bosses had publicly criticised Kittel after he was dropped on the flats and finished 99th at Scheldeprijs
By Jonny Long Published
-
The nine best bike throws in the history of cycling
Cycling Weekly looks back at some of the most memorable bike throws of all time, from Bradley Wiggins's stylish Trentino effort to Dumoulin's hissy fit.
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
Marcel Kittel says blood doping revelations ‘a slap in the face to clean athletes like him’
Marcel Kittel has responded to the blood doping revelations after his former team-mate was caught up in the scandal.
By Alex Ballinger Published