Kittel on threshold of landmark as Dubai Tour is set to take off
dubai — As the prestigious Dubai Tour braces for a landmark fifth year, Marcel Kittel is on the threshold of a milestone if everything falls in place over the weekend.
The German sprinter would make history on different fronts if he goes on to win the overall classification on Saturday.
The 29-year-old could become the only rider to rack up a hat trick of the Dubai Tour and also become the first to win it with two different teams.
After back-to-back title wins with Etixx-Quick Step (now rebranded as Quick-Step Floors), Kittel will be racing in the colours of Team Katusha Alpecin this season.
Although a new environment, the focus remains the same for Kittel, who has a record eight stage wins on the Dubai Tour.
“I came here like every year for my first race of the season. I’ve changed team but my motivation is the same,” Kittel said on the eve of the race on Monday.
“We’ll try our best to go for the victory, but we’ll take it day by day, as we’re not yet concentrated on scoring the hat trick. Elia Viviani certainly has a very good team, with my old train, but I also have a strong team with a lot of German speaking riders. I’m curious to find out how good we are. There is a good atmosphere in the team and we are very motivated,” he added.
This season has been one of swaps with Elia Viviani going the other way from Team Katusha Alpecin to Quick-Step Floors.
And it has been nothing short of a dream start for the Italian with the Olympic champion notching a stage win at the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia.
“It is a new team, new teammates and new motivation. I’ve had a really good winter with my new team and I’ve already got a stage win. I enjoy racing for Quick Step Floors. This team is very focused on sprinting. It makes a difference for me,” said Viviani.
“Stage 1 has a really nice finish – I’ve won there two times. It is not an easy sprint and positioning before the final straight is crucial, depending on the crosswinds. The wind could make the difference,” added the 28-year-old.
Meanwhile, England’s Mark Cavendish will be hoping to replicate 2015, when he won it with Etixx-Quick Step.
“The sprints make it appetising. It is really down to teamwork. When I won the overall classification in 2015, it was the first Dubai Tour without a time trial. I hope we can ride the Hatta this year as it was cancelled last year because of the weather,” said the Briton, who now races for Team Dimension Data.
The Tour does have its home presence with two UAE teams — UAE Team Emirates and the UAE National Team.
And Alexander Kristoff will be leading the line for UAE Team Emirates. “For sure, this race is important for my new team – it’s our home ground,” said Kristoff.
“But the Dubai Tour is no less important for the other sprinters sitting next to me. The level of sprinting here is very high. There’ll be tough competition. I did some work with my new teammates, but it’s difficult to train all together when some of us are racing in Australia and Argentina. I’m pretty fresh. I’ll try day by day to be a winner,” added the Norwegian.