One of cycling’s most promising young sprinters, Marcel Kittel, will be switching to a new bike next year, following the announcement of a three year sponsorship agreement between his Skil-Shimano team and Felt Bicycles.
Kittel has taken a staggering thirteen wins in his first pro season, clocking up four stage victories in the Tour of Poland and Tour de Langkawi, taking the ProRace Berlin and Delta Tour Zeeland and, most recently, winning stage seven of the Vuelta a España.
The 2012 team will see the addition of another talented young sprinter, the world under 23 championship silver medallist John Degenkolb, who won two stages of the Critérium du Dauphine, plus his current HTC Highroad team-mate Patrick Gretsch. The latter was quickest in the prologues of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and the Ster ZLM Toer.
The team is clearly increasing its level and has big plans for the future; those plans now include the partnership with Felt, which previously backed the Garmin Transitions team.
“We are elated by the opportunity to work with Felt Bicycles,” said Skil-Shimano’s general manager Iwan Spekenbrink today. “When we began our search for an equipment supplier, we did so with the goal of racing against the fastest riders in the world in the biggest races in the world. In this competitive environment, every advantage is critical.
“We know Felt’s industry-leading aerodynamics expertise and carbon fiber design methods will give our athletes an edge over the competition every time we line up.”
The riders will compete next year on the F1 road race frames and the wind tunnel-engineered DA time trial frame.
The team used Koga bikes in 2011, clocking up 21 wins in all. Next year’s team includes the aforementioned Kittel, Degenkolb and Gretsch, as well as Tom Veelers and Alexandre Geniez.
Felt’s founder Jim Felt is looking forward to working with the Dutch squad. “From our perspective, there is no team out there that offers the opportunities that Skil-Shimano provides our company,” he said. “The roster that they have put together for 2012 is a powerhouse loaded with young talent. With such a promising core of riders, an innovative staff, and a professional women’s cycling component, Skil-Shimano is truly a dream program for Felt’s return to the European race scene.
“We are excited to be back racing at the highest level and thrilled to be with Skil-Shimano.”