Advantage Kittel
If Mark Cavendish and Omega Pharma-Quickstep hoped that Marcel Kittel’s four Tour de France stage victories to Cavendish’s single triumph in last year’s Grande Boucle had owed more to the deficiencies of its sprint train than the giant German’s sprinting prowess, they are likely to be disappointed by events in Dubai. Despite sending a formidable support crew that included Italian sprint legend, Alessandro Pettachi, three-time and reigning world time trial champion, Tony Martin, and Cav’s right-hand man at HTC-Highroad, Mark Renshaw, OPQS leave Dubai empty-handed.
The Giant-Shimano train still looks like a work in progress, but its short-comings can largely be overcome by Kittel’s sprinting prowess. There will be scenarios where his raw pace simply will not be enough – notably when Lotto-Belisol are present – but when matters are decided in a straight fight, few will now bet against Kittel. Cavendish will not see his crown usurped without a fight, though, and while Kittel may now be stronger, Cavendish is more experienced and still possessed of a blistering turn of speed. 2014 looks set to deliver a series of classic encounters between the two quick men.
