Quick-Step Floors lead the team classification after the first day of the Dutch race.
Marcel Kittel doesn't miss an opportunity to showcase his skills against the clock every time he has the chance, especially on a short parcours, as was the one scheduled Wednesday evening by the Ster ZLM Toer. The German sprinter, a two-time Junior World ITT Champion, was one of the early starters in the 7.5km-long race and he stopped the clock in 8:07, a time thanks to which he stayed in the hot seat for nearly two hours.
Fellow countryman Maximilian Schachmann rounded out the podium, same time as Marcel, and three seconds behind stage winner Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo). Two other young Quick-Step Floors riders – Rémi Cavagna and Laurens De Plus – put in a strong effort – which helped the squad take the top spot on the team standings.
"It's not nice when you are in the hot seat for a long time and then you get beaten by the last starter, but Primoz was stronger, so congratulations to him. I'm happy with my legs and how I felt, it was a good way to start the race. I'm now looking forward to the next stages", said Marcel Kittel at the finish in Westkapelle.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
