Marcel Kittel will unfortunately not appear at the start of this Wednesday’s Scheldeprijs and next Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix. 
 
Kittel was hit by a virus that he picked up in the midst of a busy early season and decided to step off the bike for a while before starting his training again. In consultation with the performance staff and Kittel himself, the team decided that additional training is required before he returns to competition. 
 
“I have already been back on the bike for some time, but I am not yet back to my normal performance level and that is why we decided to work back to full fitness and towards my next goals this season," said Kittel. 
 
The inability to continue his winning streak at Scheldeprijs is a disappointment for both Kittel and the team after a hat trick of wins at the Belgium one-day race in the last three years. Getting back to his normal performance level is the first priority. For now, Kittel will work closely with the team’s medical and performance staff to ensure a gradual build in the intensity of his training.   
 
The line-up for Scheldeprijs will be announced on Monday.