Tour de France history: Marcel Kittel became the German record winner of the Tour de France two years ago today. With his fourth of five stage wins in the 2017 Tour of France, he overtook Erik Zabel on July 11, 2017. Now - two years later - he is without a team and without public support.
5 stage wins in the 2017 Tour de France
The 2017 season was Marcel Kittel's year. Already in the spring he cleared the Scheldeprijs and the Dubai Tour. However, his highlight was not to come until July. The Tour de France 2017 started in Dusseldorf. When the Grand Boucle headed towards Liège, the first mass sprint took place. Marcel Kittel won. At the time, nobody could have guessed that this would be the start of a series winner. Because the tall, blond German also won in Troyes, in Nuits-Saint-Georges, in Bergerac and in Pau. With his win on July 7th in Nuits-Saint-Georges, he followed up on stage wins Eric Zabel right away – on his birthday of all things. Both had twelve in their account. But Marcel Kittel didn't have enough. In Bergerac on July 11, he became the sole German record holder. He should then set the record a day later 14 increase. A new world best sprinter was born.
The ascent is followed by the descent
Up until that 14th stage win, Marcel Kittel's career was rosy. After that, however, a rocky path began for him. He failed to finish the 2017 Tour de France. After a fall he had to wearer of the green jersey give up. He did not compete in many races that season. He drove no more victories. Marcel Kittel then switched to the Swiss racing team for the 2018 season Katusha-Alpecin. At the Dubai Tour and the Abu Dhabi Tour, the team revealed coordination difficulties in the sprint preparation. It got better at Tirreno Adriatico, where Marcel Kittel achieved two stage wins. But the problems that seemed to be solved were still there. Marcel Kittel could no longer walk, Criticism got loud and Self-image faded. At the Tour de France 2018 he went empty handed. Many months passed before his next victory. On February 3rd he won the preparatory race Trofeo Palma against less well-known competitors. It should be his last win to date. Only a few weeks later he and his team Katusha - Alpecin agreed on one termination of contract. It is uncertain whether he will come back.
Marcel Kittel remains a top cyclist
The story of Marcel Kittel is also a public story. Those who go up in the media elevator also go down with them. The jubilation was great when Marcel Kittel at the Tour de France 2017 to become the best sprinter in the world. Five stage wins on a Tour of France? Unbelievable! The fact that things didn't go so well for him afterwards is part of a sports career. Viewers, media and sponsors should be a little more understanding power fluctuations show. Cycling, which is plagued by doping, should be happy that the riders appear human, not like machines that can perform at their best every day throughout the season. Marcel Kittel is in a crisis, right. But Marcel Kittel already has in his career 14 stages won the Tour de France. If he had spread this over ten years as a professional, he would certainly have come off better in public. But the performance remains the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnnafmPX5hI