Bad news for Giant Alpecin. Marcel Kittel was not present at the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen in Belgium. The German sprinter is ill and he had to cancel his appearance at the last minute.

"After the Brussels Cycling Classic, Marcel continued to train but didn’t feel top fit. When he started coming down with the flu, we decided not to let him start", team coach Marc Reef told the Belga news agency. "Marcel’s poor condition is not alarming. We expect him to ride the Omloop van het Houtland next week."

This spring Kittel was plagued by a virus. He returned to competition in May in the Tour de Yorkshire, but he dropped out after riding 100 kilometers in the first stage. He was supposed to make another comeback at the Tour of California but he withdrew days before the event, citing illness once again. At the end of June, it was announced that Kittel would not participate in the Tour de France, since his condition wasn't up to par. "Not being nominated for the Tour de France is without doubt the most difficult time of my career."

He has also pulled out of tofday's Primus Classic but is expected to be back for Wednesday's Omloop Het Houtland.