Marcel Kittel signs for Etixx-Quick Step

Marcel Kittel, whose contract with Giant-Alpecin was rescinded last week, is to join Etixx-Quick Step on a two-year deal.

The 27-year-old’s move to the Belgian WorldTour outfit was first rumoured a week ago when Etixx-Quick Step revealed it had signed German supermarket chain Lidl as a partner.

Confirmation later in the week that he would no longer race for Giant-Alpecin was seen as heralding his move, confirmed this lunchtime.

"I want to thank the team for the faith they've put in me, and that they will support me in this new chapter of my career," said Kittel.

"I am looking forward to the new challenges of Etixx-Quick Step, a team, I consider as one of the best teams in the world.

“This team has one of the best, well organised structures around its riders. Etixx-Quick Step offers me a great, highly professional environment, where I can continue to develop and improve.”

He continued: “I am also happy that I have a few friends on this team already, including Tony Martin. Tony is one of my best friends in cycling.

“We rode together when we were younger, and I can't wait to do it again at the professional level."

With Mark Cavendish heading to MTN-Qhubeka and other departures including Michal Kwiatkowski to Sky and Rigoberto Uran to Canondale-Garmin, Kittel joins another high-profile new arrival, Dan Martin, in the reshaped team.

Etixx-Quick Step CEO Patrick Lefevere said: "We are thrilled about the arrival of Marcel.

"In the last years he showed incredible pure speed, which makes him one of the best sprinters in the history of the sport.

“As a team we will do our best to put him in the right condition, building a group of riders around him.”

Kittel has won stages at all three Grand Tours, including eight Tour de France stage wins, and Lefevere added: “He showed his potential in just a few years …  with dominating performances among his palmares.

“We are sure that, together, we can achieve more big goals, and that we have yet to see the best of Marcel Kittel."