Kittel emerges as next sprint 'superstar'

Germany's Marcel Kittel has emerged as cycling's next great sprint star, following his stage victory in the final day of this year's Tour de France.

Kittel emerges as next sprint 'superstar'

A new sprint star emerged in this year's Tour de France in the shape of Germany's Marcel Kittel.

The green jersey may have once again been won by Peter Sagan, but a new sprint star emerged in this year's Tour de France in the shape of Germany's Marcel Kittel.

The 100th edition of the Tour will not just be remembered for Chris Froome's stunning overall triumph.

A year after leaving the race through illness, Kittel has made a name for himself on the international stage.

The 25-year-old became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey in this year's race after winning the opening stage in Bastia, and went on to win stage 10 in Saint-Malo and the 12th stage in Tours before capping it all with a superb final day win on the Champs Elysees.

That last win was an especially significant one for the Argos team rider, as even Erik Zabel never managed more than three stage victories on any one Tour on his way to winning the green jersey in six successive years.

French sports daily L'Equipe had already run with the headline "Cavendish Reigns No More" before Kittel denied the British champion what would have been his fifth straight win on the famed boulevard.

But Cavendish has spoken glowingly of his new rival, describing him as "the next superstar in sprinting".

Kittel himself is a little more modest, although after withdrawing from his debut Tour de France last year in the fifth stage due to a viral infection, his only hope for this year's race was to maybe win one stage.

Achieving that objective on the opening day allowed him to sample wearing the yellow jersey, a feeling he described as "like having gold on my shoulders", while his subsequent triumphs have made him realise that he can compete with the very best.

Winner of a stage on the 2011 Tour of Spain, Kittel has now proven that was no one-off thanks to his displays over the last three weeks.


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Source: AAP


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