Cycling

Marcel Kittel wins Sprint Thriller

In the end, only to centimetres: Marcel Kittel is in the uphill sprint touch thin and celebrates his first Tour stage win this year. To be a success, the coat for a message to his Ex-Team used.

Photo Finish: Marcel Kittel (3. v. l.) to win to be thin ahead of France’s Bryan Coquard (2. v. r.).

He smiles, the sweat is running over the face. Marcel Kittel is sitting in the stage in Limoges, radiates into the crowd and is still struggling a bit for air as him, the Reporter in time for a short victory interview invites. Kittel tells the story of a hard day’s work, the good work by his team, and the tight Sprint on the uphill finishing straight of Limoges. In the Emotion of the moment, a lot of joy and then all of a sudden, even defiant satisfaction.

“I’m so glad I showed it all again – not only my competitors, but also to all who have forgotten me in the previous year.” Zack, the sat. A nice greeting in the direction of his old team Giant-Alpecin, the weakness of him in the previous year due to form as a result of a virus infection, not for the tour de France this year had been nominated. Kittel had accepted this Ausbootung never left the Team that had made him great, in anger.

Coquard brought Kittel in distress

Now, in the blue Dress by the Belgian Etixx-racing team, is the top Sprinter in the track and won on Tuesday, the fourth stage of the Tour de France and thus provided for the first German victory of the day. The 28-year-old sprint specialist, won at the end of 237,5 kilometers is the longest stage in Limoges, however, is only a wafer-thin ahead of France’s Bryan Coquard (Direct energy). Kittel was on the uphill finishing straight, first the front, then Coquard meters but went on to meters. Only the target photo brought information on the winner and showed the coat front to a few inches in front of the of Coquard, has become a serious contender for a win of the day progresses. The Slovakian champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), was significantly behind in third and defending the Yellow Jersey of the overall leader.

Just in time for the Finale, the escapees, The Peloton of the Tour de France obtained: on the 4. Stage

The German champion André Greipel was unable to intervene in Limoges right in the fight for the stage victory. Be a Lotto Team, was too early in the Wind, took himself there, and thus, Greipel fell back on the uphill finishing straight of resignation. At the end of seat only 18 remained to him. Also, the two times stage winner Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) was in eighth place out of the game.

The first tough test for the favourites

For Kittel, it was the ninth stage victory at the Tour, the 14. in one of the three major country tours. “It was super hard in the final and we have lost something with my Team. I’m a little emotional just this victory means a lot to me,” said a moved Kittel at the finish. On the fifth stage on Wednesday, there will be pretty sure no mass sprint. When you travel deep into the Central massif of about 216 km from Limoges six mountain classifications are into the winter sports Resort of Le Lioran in the program, including for the first time this year, two in the second category. In the overall standings, it could be the first major shifts.