Alex Dowsett convinced Marcel Kittel’s class will shine through at Katusha-Alpecin despite slow start

Matt Jones - Editor 20:56 22/02/2018
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  • Alex Dowsett feels Marcel Kittel's class will shine through at Katusha-Alpecin.

    Alex Dowsett is convinced Marcel Kittel’s class will shine through despite a below par start to life at Katusha-Alpecin.

    Kittel left Quick-Step for the Swiss-backed former Russian team in the off-season after two glorious years with the Belgian team.

    Despite earning five stage wins at the Tour de France in 2017, the rise of Fernando Gaviria at Quick-Step jeopardised Kittel’s place in the team for Le Tour this year, with both men competing for the star sprinter’s role.

    Germany’s Kittel won 14 individual races last year – a joint record in men’s cycling for 2017 – although rising Colombian star Gaviria also notched 14 victories, including an impressive four stage wins on his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia.

    Kittel wasn’t content to play second fiddle to or battle Gaviria for top spot, so left. And after 26 total victories in two years with Quick-Step, Kittel switched to Katusha, although it’s been a slow start at his new team.

    He could only finish 82nd on Stage 2 of the Abu Dhabi Tour on Thursday, but fellow new arrival Dowsett says there is no doubting Kittel’s quality.

    “We’re working well together as a team. It’s not about getting the end result because we know the caliber of Marcel,” said the 29-year-old Englishman, who severed a five-year tie with Movistar to join Katusha this season.

    “He had bad legs today. It’s about going through the motions of getting the lead out train sorted. Because if he’s got good legs he will win so it’s just a case of gelling and getting our s**t together.

    “I think we are, we’re there or there abouts. Hopefully we’ll get there tomorrow and we’ll keep trying.”

    A chaotic Stage 2 made for excellent racing and drama from Yas Mall to Yas Beach, with crosswinds playing havoc as three groups tore the peloton to pieces.

    Katusha were the instigators as the original five-man breakaway was swallowed up with just under 50km to go, with eventual stage winner Elia Viviani and Stage 1 winner Alexander Kristoff cut adrift.

    They both recovered as the second and third groups worked together to close in on the leading pack, of which Kittel was a part.

    And Dowsett revealed Kittel’s chances of victory were perhaps closed off by his own attempt to make a move too early in the closing stages.

    “At 80km the winds split the group to pieces, that was our fault,” said Dowsett.

    “It was really good though, in the final we wanted to hit the corner with 5km to go up the front and we hit it on the front, we wanted to be on the right and we were, but it was a long 5km.

    “I went a little bit early and I think the boys behind then had to improvise a little and took it to 2km. The pace ramped up and I couldn’t quite keep with it. I just had to get out of the way of my boys and everyone else.”

    Caleb Ewan was fifth on Stage 2.

    Caleb Ewan was fifth in Stage 2.

    Overnight white jersey occupant Caleb Ewan, meanwhile, was part of the leading group who made a move just after halfway, and he added fifth place to his third from Stage 1, although he was replaced at the top of the Young Rider standings by Danny van Poppel of LottoNL-Jumbo, who finished second.

    And with Saturday’s time trial and Sunday’s ascent on Jebel Hafeet to come, the young Australian doesn’t think he’ll get the white jersey back.

    “I was in the front group which was good. Then in the finish I was trapped in on the left and couldn’t get out. Once I started my sprint it was too late,” said the 23-year-old Mitchelton-Scott rider.

    “I’ve already lost it (white jersey) but once we get to the time trial and the hill it’s going to be too tough for me to get it back.

    “It was close to the finish so it could have gone either way. Sometimes they’ll stay away, sometimes they won’t but I decided to keep on the safe side and go with that first group. The others were wasting a bit more energy.”

    Despite his disappointment, he was again pleased with his aggressive stance in helping form the lead group in the wind and how he pushed the world’s best sprinters, including Kittel.

    He added: “I think that’s the way to go. I’m still young and making my way up. I need to prove myself, those big guys have done that, I just need to keep chipping away and try and get some more wins.”

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