Marcel Kittel laughs off comeback idea: “No, no, no… not on the bike”

“No, no, no, no,” Kittel said in the Domestique Hotseat podcast, when the idea of a comeback was put to him. Then came the clarification: “Not on the bike.”

That does not mean the German has stepped away from the sharp end of the sport. Far from it. At this Giro d’Italia, Kittel has found himself on the other side of the race, inside the team environment, helping Unibet Rose Rockets chase sprint success against some of the strongest squads in the peloton.

And for a rider who built his career on speed, timing and pressure, the new role has brought a different kind of satisfaction.

“I really enjoyed the process,” Kittel said. “That was my key takeaway from being a rider myself. I knew that for myself especially those two key components of being physical fit but also mentally ready are really important.”

Kittel’s presence around the team has not been limited to motivation or media moments. While the outside image of the Rockets has often leaned into energy, humour and emotion, he insists there is a clear performance purpose behind his work.

“Maybe from the outside we look like a team that focuses a lot on fun,” he said. “But there’s more to that. Because I really also joined this team with one goal. I’m here for performance. I want to deliver and support the riders to be able to get the best out of their opportunities here.”

That ambition has been visible throughout the Giro. The team has not yet taken the stage win it came for, but Kittel believes the trajectory is clear. Asked to rate the team’s race so far, he gave them a 4.5 out of five.

“We are on course,” he said. “On course means we haven’t achieved our goal yet, but I 100 % believe that we are getting there.”

The missed chances have included one particularly painful near moment on stage six to Naples, where the team had placed itself perfectly before a crash derailed the sprint. Kittel described the disappointment as part of the emotional range that defines elite sport, but also saw encouragement in the execution that came before it.

“We really nailed it,” he said of the lead out. “In that sense, that was a victory in itself.”

For Kittel, that is where his experience as one of the best sprinters of his generation becomes useful. He is not there to ride the final kilometres anymore. He is there to translate what he once felt instinctively into something the current riders can use.

“I try to make my experience in the finals accessible as a service to the riders,” he said. “So that they can use it, that we focus on the important aspects of how do we create this opportunity now for ourselves and then go for it together with the rest of the performance staff.”

There is also a learning curve for Kittel himself. This is still a new world, with new rhythms and responsibilities. The team car is not the same as the saddle, and Grand Tours demand more than sprint knowledge alone.

“I’m honestly doing this of course also for the first time,” he said. “I’m also learning a lot how to do that, with guys like Roger Hammond, for example, who has an incredible amount of experience as a sports director.”

What stands out is that Kittel does not sound like a retired rider trying to stay close to the sport. He sounds like someone who has found a different competitive outlet. The emotions are still there. The pressure is still there. The desire to win is still there. Only the position has changed.

“It’s not, I’m not here to wave only at the camera,” Kittel said. “It’s all good and smiles and fun. You need to bring that attitude, but I’m also here for the top sport.”

Listen to the full Hotseat podcast with Marcel Kittel 👇