‘I’ve lost all motivation to torture myself on the bike’ says 31-year-old German sprinter
The 31-year-old German sprinter terminated his contract with Katusha-Alpecin in early May, saying he wanted to take time away from the sport to consider his future. He spent a few days at the Tour de France, with Jumbo-Visma reportedly keen to sign him.
“Pain defines the sport, the world in which you live,” Kittel said. “I have lost all motivation to continue to torture myself on the bike.”
Kittel will become a father in November and intends to study at University.
“As a cyclist, you’re traveling 200 days a year, and I do not want to see my son grow up on Skype,” he said. “Family, friends, everything was too short, plus the permanent fatigue and the routine… I’ve realised this loss of quality of life more and more.” He’d been feeling too much pressure with the Katusha-Alpecin team as well.
He’s won 14 times at the Tour de France and has a total of 89 victories overall.
This message was on his website:
“I would like to tell you all today that I am ending my career as a pro cyclist,” he wrote. “I have thought long and hard about this decision and discussed it with my closest friends and my family.
“This decision process has not been a quick one, but has taken place over a long time: During my nearly 20 year sports career there have been not only incredible successes but also difficult times. I have always been one to openly question and reflect when such things happen, so that I can learn and become better.
“That, together with the people around me, has made me the successful athlete that I now am, but this method has also taught to leave my old ways and learn new ones. I know that there is much more than just sport, for example my own future family.
“Recently the thought on this future without cycling has grown, as has the awareness of the sacrifices that such a beautiful but also very difficult sport like cycling brings with it.
“The biggest question of the last few months was: Can I and do I want to continue to make the sacrifices needed to be a world-class athlete? And my answer is: No, I do not want that any more, because I have always found the limitations on a top athlete as an increasing loss of quality of life.
“That is why I have a very happy and proud that at this point in my life I can make the decision to follow my heart in a new direction.
At this point I would like to thank all the people who have supported me in my career: my former teammates, my trainers, my friends, and my family, but above all my fans for the incredible support in the last few years.
“I look forward to the future with much anticipation.”
His four stage victories at the 2014 Tour de France made him the worlds best and most consistent sprinter. That was followed by a terrible 2015 season where he won only one stage in Poland and wasn’t selected for the TdF team. He then moved to Quickstep. where he have five TdF wins. Gaviria, on the same team and with similar abilities, caused him to move to Katusha. It wasn’t a great match. He won just twice and didn’t finish the Tour. Paris-Nice this year was also a disappointment. These low points cemented the move to retire.
