CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

“He’s just begun on the bike again, so he’s re-starting to get better. He’s not completely recovered. It’s a shame that it happens.”

Photo: Sirotti

MARCEL KITTEL

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

TEAM SUNWEB

TEAM PROFILE
|
NEWS
14.03.2015 @ 12:14 Posted by Joseph Doherty

After suffering a virus before the Tour of Qatar that led to a poor performance in that race and pulling out of Tirreno-Adriatico, Marcel Kittel’s DS at Gaint-Alpecin, Mark Reef, says he is not better yet, but is on the mend.

 

“It’s not good yet,” Kittle’s race coach, Marc Reef, told Cycling Weekly. “He’s just begun on the bike again, so he’s re-starting to get better. He’s not completely recovered. It’s a shame that it happens.”

 

“We didn’t think it was that serious. He was not up in the sprints in Qatar, but those were hard stages and we thought nothing of it in the beginning. Then in the last stage, it wasn’t that hard, but he got dropped… then we thought something was wrong.”

 

The team ordered star rider Kittel to rest and not ride his bike at all, which seems to have done the big German the world of good.

 

“We said, stop completely for one and a half weeks and re-start,” Reef explained. “He’s now easily restarting and getting better."

 

“He got rid of the virus. The coughing and sneezing went away, but your energy can be down for a longer period,” Team Doctor Anko Boelens said. “You can never really predict how long it will affect you. We are going to take a couple of steps back before he rebuilds. Maybe a couple of weeks is enough, but sometimes it takes more time. We just have to wait.”

 

While it means he will race less before his big goal of the Tour de France, Reef says it might play to his advantage come July as he will be fresher than his sprint rivals.

 

“You can say it [will affect him for the Tour] or you can say he’s now having a period without racing, a more relaxed period,” Reef added. “You see when guys have a break in the spring, they are fresher in July. That could be an advantage. But only when he’s on a normal way back can we make a plan for the Tour.”

 

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

28.04 - 05.05: Vuelta España Femenina
30.04 - 05.05: Tour du Bénin
01.05 - 05.05: Ronde de l'Isard
01.05 - 05.05: Vuelta Bantrab
02.05 - 05.05: Course de la Paix Juniors
02.05 - 05.05: GP Beiras e Serra da Estrela
04.05 - 05.05: Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie
05.05: Ringerike GP
05.05: GP Bob Jungels
05.05: Tro-Bro Léon
Lewis ASKEY
23 years | today
Ryo KODAMA
32 years | today
David DE LA FUENTE RASILLA
43 years | today
Pepijn REINDERINK
22 years | today
Megan GUARNIER
39 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com