Dominant sprinter Kittel and Argos Shimano team-mate Geschke to chase stage wins in Tour Down Under

Four time Tour 2013 stage winner will be one of key names in race

The dominant sprinter of this year’s Tour de France, Marcel Kittel, has been confirmed by his Argos Shimano team as leading it in next month’s Santos Tour Down Under in Australia.

The German, who won four stages in the 2013 Tour, will spearhead the seven man team in the event, and will aim to get his victory push off to an early start. He had his best season to date this year and is motivated to continue building his palmares.

Kittel rode the race last January, netting a best stage placing of sixth. He’s gained a lot of confidence since then and his team will be backing him to take at least one victory in the WorldTour event.

The Argos Shimano sports manager Addy Engels says that it won’t back one rider only, though. “It will of course be our aim to take the sprint opportunities with Marcel in the team, but there aren’t that many sprints,” he stated. “With Simon Geschke we have someone with us for the tougher stages. Some of the stage profiles are perfect for him and, if they come down to a small group sprint, he is fast.”

Kittel took over the mantle as the world’s fastest sprinter from Mark Cavendish and Santos Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur knows that he has a major name in his race.

“There’s nothing like seeing the power generated by the fastest men in road cycling and Marcel Kittel is certainly in that group,” he said. “Along with wins at the Tour of Oman and Tour de France Marcel took out three stages at the Tour of Turkey and won the Tour de Picardie.

“He’s in great shape and we look forward to seeing him go up against other powerful sprinters in the first UCI WorldTour event of the year.”

Also lining out for the team are Kittel and Geschke’s compatriots Nikias Arndt and Johannes Martin Fröhlinger, Frenchman Thierry Hupond, the American Thomas Peterson and Dutchman Koen de Kort, who has a fiancée from Australia and has spent a lot of time there already.

The action gets underway on January 19th with the People’s Choice Classic in Adelaide. The Tour Down Under itself begins two days later, but most will compete in the earlier criterium event.

Argos Shimano team for Santos Tour Down Under:

Sunday 19 January: People’s Choice Classic, Adelaide (50km)
Monday 20 January: Rest day
Tuesday 21 January: Stage 1, Nuriootpa to Angaston (135km)
Wednesday 22 January: BikeExchange.com.au Stage 2, Prospect to Stirling (150km)
Thursday 23 January: Stage 3, Norwood to Campbelltown (145km)
Friday 24 January: Bupa Stage 4, Unley to Victor Harbor (148.5km)
Saturday 25 January: Stage 5, McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill (151.5km)
Sunday 26 January: Stage 6, Adelaide (95km)