Marcel Kittel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marcel Kittel

Kittel in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Marcel Kittel
Born	(1988-05-11) 11 May 1988 (age 37) Arnstadt, Bezirk Erfurt, East Germany
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	82 kg (181 lb; 12 st 13 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Sprinter
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France 14 individual stages (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) Giro d'Italia 4 individual stages (2014, 2016) Vuelta a España 1 individual stage (2011) Stage races Dubai Tour (2016, 2017) One-day races and Classics Scheldeprijs (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) Münsterland Giro (2011, 2012) GP de Fourmies (2016)

Marcel Kittel (born 11 May 1988) is a German former professional racing cyclist. He was known as one of the best sprinters of his time. A sprinter is a cyclist who is very fast over short distances, especially at the end of a race.

During his career from 2011 to 2019, Kittel won 89 professional races. This included 19 stage wins across the three biggest races in cycling, known as the Grand Tours. He won 14 stages at the famous Tour de France.

After retiring from racing, he began working as a brand ambassador for cycling companies. He also works as a cycling expert for the Dutch TV channel NOS.

Personal Life

Kittel is in a relationship with Dutch volleyball player Tess von Piekartz. They have a son, born in 2019, and a daughter, born in 2021.

Cycling Career

Kittel started as a young cyclist specializing in the time trial, a race where riders compete against the clock. He even won two Junior World Championships in this event. When he turned professional, he discovered his talent for sprinting.

Skil–Shimano (2011–2015)

Kittel joined the Dutch team Skil-Shimano in 2011 and quickly became a star. In his first year, he won 17 races, including a stage at the Vuelta a España, his first Grand Tour victory.

His biggest successes came at the Tour de France. In 2013, he won the very first stage and got to wear the famous yellow jersey as the race leader. He went on to win three more stages that year, including the final stage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

The next year, in the 2014, he won four stages, once again winning the first stage and the final stage in Paris. However, 2015 was a difficult year for Kittel. He struggled with a virus and was not in good enough shape to compete in the Tour de France.

Etixx–Quick-Step (2016–2017)

Kittel moved to the Belgian team Etixx–Quick-Step in 2016 and returned to his winning ways. He won two stages at the Giro d'Italia and one stage at the Tour de France.

His best year was 2017. At the Tour de France, he was almost unbeatable in the sprints, winning an amazing five stages. This brought his total number of Tour de France stage wins to 14.

Team Katusha–Alpecin and Retirement (2018–2019)

Kittel at the start of the 2018 Milan–San Remo

Kittel's final years in cycling were with Team Katusha–Alpecin. He won two stages at the Tirreno–Adriatico race in 2018.

In 2019, Kittel felt very tired from the demands of professional cycling. On May 9, 2019, he and his team agreed to end his contract so he could take a break. A few months later, on August 23, 2019, Kittel announced he was retiring from the sport for good.

Major Results

Here are some of Marcel Kittel's most important victories during his career.

• Grand Tour Stage Wins
  • 14 stages at the Tour de France (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
  • 4 stages at the Giro d'Italia (2014, 2016)
  • 1 stage at the Vuelta a España (2011)

• Other Important Wins
  • Scheldeprijs: 5 times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
  • Dubai Tour: 2 times overall winner (2016, 2017)
  • World Champion in Team Time Trial (2016)
  • Junior World Champion in Time Trial (2005, 2006)

Grand Tour Results Timeline

This table shows how Kittel performed in the three Grand Tours each year.

Images for kids

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  Marcel Kittel with Jonas Deichmann

See also

In Spanish: Marcel Kittel para niños