Etixx - Quick-Step has agreed to a two-year contract with German rider Marcel Kittel, who is considered one of the best sprinters of the peloton. Kittel built an impressive palmares at 27-years-old, in just a few years time: Eight Tour de France stage victories, three Scheldeprijs victories, five stage wins at Tour de Pologne, and two Giro d'Italia stage wins. He also won the overall of 2013 Tour de Picardie, and the overall of the 2011 Delta Tour Zeeland.

Kittel will wear the team colors for the 2016 & 2017 seasons.

"We are thrilled about the arrival of Marcel," CEO Patrick Lefevere said. "In the last years he showed incredible pure speed, which makes him one of the best sprinters in the history of the sport. As a team we will do our best to put him in the right condition, building a group of riders around him. He showed his potential in just a few years time, with dominating performances among his palmares. We are sure that, together, we can achieve more big goals, and that we have yet to see the best of Marcel Kittel."

"I want to thank the team for the faith they've put in me, and that they will support me in this new chapter of my career," Kittel said. "I am looking forward to the new challenges of Etixx - Quick-Step, a team, I consider as one of the best teams in the world. This team has one of the best, well organized structures around its riders. Etixx - Quick-Step offers me a great, highly professional environment, where I can continue to develop and improve. I am also happy that I have a few friends on this team already, including Tony Martin. Tony is one of my best friends in cycling. We rode together when we were younger, and I can't wait to do it again at the professional level."

Kittel announced that he will leave Giant-Alpecin last Friday despite having one year left of his current contract. The German team allowed him to seek for a new employer.