Kittel doping?

[craig1985]

Neo-pro, and is two from two in stage wins at the Tour de Polange, ergo, he must be on some super human doping program.

 

[Jeanne]

It's so simple and nice those days, the one who wins is always the one who doped

 

[greenedge]

I think he is just super talented. He seems like a great sprinter and will probably be in the Hushovd mould later trying to win classics. Has he ever versed the Cossack or Guardini. I just want to see how he compares to them. Matthews and Degenkolb as well.

 

[euanli]

Well he has already beaten Matthews and Degenkolb in stages 1 and 2. Supposedly he pushes 1800W in a sprint. Definitely a sprinter.

 

[nevada]

Whats his palmares ?

He's not a household name and he's embarrassing the others.

I raised an eyebrow after those sprints and you would have to be very forgiving to think otherwise.

 

[Lanark]

Whats his palmares ?

He's not a household name and he's embarrassing the others.

I raised an eyebrow after those sprints and you would have to be very forgiving to think otherwise.

Why would you have to be very forgiving? Of course he is not a household name, he is a first year pro.

He was a really big talent in the u23 rank, the only surprising thing is that he is sprinting so good this year, while he used to be mostly just a really good time-trialist. His results in Poland aren't really that surprising, he already has 10 wins this season, but the competition he is beating here isn't that strong (a couple of other neo-pro's (Degenkolb, Matthews), a couple of inconsistent sprinters (Haussler, Chicchi), and some second rate sprinters (Brown, Kristoff)). But his season isn't any more remarkable than Cavendish his first season was.

 

[nobilis]

He won 4 stages at the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque earlier this year. But apparently, he's a decent rouleur as well.

 

[movingtarget]

Why would you have to be very forgiving? Of course he is not a household name, he is a first year pro.

He was a really big talent in the u23 rank, the only surprising thing is that he is sprinting so good this year, while he used to be mostly just a really good time-trialist. His results in Poland aren't really that surprising, he already has 10 wins this season, but the competition he is beating here isn't that strong (a couple of other neo-pro's (Degenkolb, Matthews), a couple of inconsistent sprinters (Haussler, Chicchi), and some second rate sprinters (Brown, Kristoff)). But his season isn't any more remarkable than Cavendish his first season was.

Also maybe a rider on the improve. Strong, good timing and positioning and maybe a little talent and hard work. Like you said he isn't beating the elite sprinters.

 

[SiAp1984]

Like you said he isn't beating the elite sprinters.

...not yet ;-)

I'm glad to see another German sprint talent. Since Ciolek faded and never lived up to his potential in the long run, I'm somewhat cautious with ratings like "the next Cavendish"... etc. It would be enough for me as a German cycling fan if Kittel just will be a good sprinter in the years to come.

 

[nevada]

Why would you have to be very forgiving? Of course he is not a household name, he is a first year pro.

He was a really big talent in the u23 rank, the only surprising thing is that he is sprinting so good this year, while he used to be mostly just a really good time-trialist. His results in Poland aren't really that surprising, he already has 10 wins this season, but the competition he is beating here isn't that strong (a couple of other neo-pro's (Degenkolb, Matthews), a couple of inconsistent sprinters (Haussler, Chicchi), and some second rate sprinters (Brown, Kristoff)). But his season isn't any more remarkable than Cavendish his first season was.

Good testers becoming good sprinters - eh ?

I hope you're right and its all very real then.

 

[Fatclimber]

He won 4 stages at the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque earlier this year. But apparently, he's a decent rouleur as well.

interesting... Has he had a chance to perform on the cobles? Maybe we'll have a new spring talent to watch soon.

 

[Fatclimber]

Make that 3 for 3. He has Hoy legs, monstrous.

 

[MADRAZO]

I think he is just super talented. He seems like a great sprinter and will probably be in the Hushovd mould later trying to win classics. Has he ever versed the Cossack or Guardini. I just want to see how he compares to them. Matthews and Degenkolb as well.

Guardini dominated him in Langkawi but since then he seems to have improved a level starting from Dunkerque.

Anyways Im also pretty surpriced with his level of sprinting this season as he as mentioned used to be more promessing in time trials. As a junior he actually seemed in a leaque of his own in the world in time trials, and only seemed fairly good but ordinary as a sprinter as a amateur, but perhaps he has now first really discovered how to use his big power in his sprinting and given it all his focus. It will be interesting to see if he can keep winning in the Vuelta. And I also agree he should be able to use his power in classics later in his career like for instance Hushovd that also used to be a very good time trialist as young.

 

[egtalbot]

He's not beating the Cavendish, Farrar, Rojas, Greipel yet, but destroying Feillu and Boonen along with Degenkolb and Matthews, etc suggests he should be getting pretty close to those guys. Wonder if he's riding worlds?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I had hime in my book as tt specialist when he was in his youth, but he was always fast. Still I'm suprised he developed to a sprinting power now.

Then again, Hushovd was a world champion ITT in his youth and he turned into a sprinter too, and later in his career ofcourse a classics rider too

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Kittel has always been an ITT specialist (3rd and 4th at the last two ITT Worlds U23, and always putting in good ITT showings) - and because of these big ITT performances we have perhaps overlooked him as a sprint prospect; good results in the early season has led to confidence and team support (long time sprinter Kenny van Hummel has been let go, and Skil have reinforced the train for Kittel).

Here's Kittel as a young prospect:
1st, Memorial Davide Fardelli ITT 2008
1 stage, Tour du Haut-Anjou 2009 (from 4 man breakaway)
2nd, Flèche du Sud Prologue ITT 2009
2 stages, Flèche du Sud 2009 (from sprints)
4th, Neuseen Rund um die Braunkohle (not a junior event! Beaten by Greipel, Haussler & Siedler; beat the likes of Ciolek and Hondo) 2009
1 stage (from solo attack) & 1 2nd (in a sprint, behind Stauff), Thüringenrundfahrt 2009
1st, Euro Championships ITT U23 2009
4th, World Championships ITT U23 2009
3rd (ITT), 5th & 2nd (sprints), Mainfrankentour 2010 (2nd overall)
3rd, Festningsrittet 2010 (including a stage win in the uphill finish of the queen stage)
3rd, Memorial Davide Fardelli ITT 2010
3rd, World Championships ITT U23 2010

It actually looks like as he's progressed he's been less of a pure ITT man and become more focused on his sprint. As he's now got a proper team around him for that (remember, he was on Thüringer Energie Team as a Junior, where Degenkolb matured as a sprinter faster than him, so Degenkolb was usually leader while Kittel would lead out or focus on ITTs, therefore he may not have produced the results you may expect in the sprints).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Must be painful for Degenkolb, being overshadowed like that.. even if Degenkolb himself did some awesome feats too this year

 

[auscyclefan94]

I feel sorry for the people who need to make these threads after a rider gets some decent results. I guess the person's thought process must be: "He's won some races = he must be a doper" ...sad.

 

[El Pistolero]

I feel sorry for the people who need to make these threads after a rider gets some decent results. I guess the person's thought process must be: "He's won some races = he must be a doper" ...sad.

cadel is a doper! Gilbert is a doper! Boonen is finally riding clean again!

 

[Sylvester]

I feel sorry for the people who need to make these threads after a rider gets some decent results. I guess the person's thought process must be: "He's won some races = he must be a doper" ...sad.

The sarcasm in the first post should be clear to everybody.

Although I must admit Kittel's jaw line does look pretty suspicious. And isn't McQuaid's son his manager?

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I feel sorry for the people who need to make these threads after a rider gets some decent results. I guess the person's thought process must be: "He's won some races = he must be a doper" ...sad.

Poe's Law?

 

[cineteq]

cadel is a doper! Gilbert is a doper! Boonen is finally riding clean again!

you forgot include your idol or namesake

 

[Martin318is]

Poe's Law?

I may seriously consider making a link to that Wiki page a sticky on this forum...

 

[LukeSchmid]

Poe's Law?

Very good.

 

[movingtarget]

cadel is a doper! Gilbert is a doper! Boonen is finally riding clean again!

Cadel is not a doper. He has advantages, he can time trial and ride downhill and knows about tactics unlike his main opposition this year. Boonen has had a poor season by his standards. Gilbert has taken on the characteristics of a motorbike. Do I care ? Not really. Innocent until proven guilty just like Kittel.