Katusha-Alpecin’s big investment in 2018 was in Marcel Kittel but the German struggled for form all season and failed to gel with his new lead-out train.
In his first year with Katusha-Alpecin, the German has brought in only two wins, taking sprint victories in two stages at Tirreno-Adriatico in March.
“I don’t regret leaving Quick-Step for Katusha-Alpecin, I am in a very good team and I am sure that things will improve in the future,” Kittle told Marca.
“At the end of the year I and the team will choose the races that I will do next year, maybe there will be surprises but I still don’t know where I will go.
“It hasn’t been my best year, that is very evident. In any case, I hope to improve for next year. Now it is important to have a period of rest and I have told the team that I need to recover as much as possible.”
“There have been many factors that could have had an effect on me. My winter of last year was very short and I couldn’t recover at 100 per cent. I think I planned the season badly and I went to several big races when possibly I shouldn’t. I think I have to change my plans and be more relaxed. Anyway, I am not too worried because I think with work and patience, the results will return.”
