British Grand Départ a success for the team with two stage wins and a day in yellow
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Marcel Kittel kept safe by his Giant-Shimano teammates(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yes! Kittel celebrates with teammates(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
For the second year running the first stage of the Tour de France was one for the sprinters with the yellow jersey going to whoever crossed the line first. Last year in Corsica it was Marcel Kittel who surprised his sprint rivals by winning the stage but with the race finishing in Harrogate, a motivated Mark Cavendish was looking to reclaim the title of the worlds fastest man in front of his family in an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Cavendish crashed in the final 200 meters looking for a gap that didn't exist as Kittel charged to the line, claiming victory and the first yellow jersey of 2014 for Giant-Shimano.
"We've done it again," said Koen de Kort after the stage. "We won last year and took the yellow jersey and doing it in Cavendish's home country at his home race with all these people supporting him ... we've done it again. I don't think I can graft it just yet."
"I am feeling great with the yellow jersey on my shoulders," Kittel told inCycle in York before the start of stage two. "It's a dream that came true for the second time and I am really happy to wear it again."
Kittel lost the jersey after stage two but had the chance to sprint for victory again on stage 3 in London and duly delivered as he beat Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and Mark Renshaw (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) over the line.
Watch the video below to go behind the scenes with Giant-Shimano and find out how they enjoyed the the first three stages of the Tour de France in Great Britain.
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