Arguably the fastest man in today’s professional peloton, Marcel Kittel, hopes to finish his successful season in the best possible way. The upcoming Tour of Britain is certainly a part of that plan and the athletic Giant-Shimano sprinter is eager to take on his biggest rival – Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma – Quick Step) on his home soil again.

Kittel enjoyed a long break from racing after his highly successful Tour de France campaign, marked by four stage victories. The 26-year old German eventually returned to action with very unimpressive sixth spot claimed in the Vattenfall Classic, but explained it was due to many off-the-bike obligations which kept him away of his training routine.

“Since the Tour de France I actually was still pretty busy with a lot of different stuff going on, not only on the bike but off the bike. There were a lot of interviews and also other media stuff, so quite interesting, a lot of things that I did for the first time. Now recently I just came back from Eurobike,” he said. “I for sure had no holiday,” Kittel explained Cycling Weekly.

Interestingly, the Giant-Shimano sprinter has never been beaten on the British soil in his professional career, and certainly hopes to continue in the same line in the upcoming stage event after a relatively slow start in Hamburg.

“I’m looking for a nice way to finish the season and for sure Tour of Britain is a part of that, especially after the experience from the Tour de France,” Kittel said. “I’m sure it’s going to be also a nice race there. If the weather stays good it should be okay.

Kittel certainly is free to look for a nice ending of the season in which he has reached all his objectives, but no one should expect that the German wouldn’t be motivated enough to add more stage wins to his 11 victories already claimed in 2014. The Giant-Shimano fast finisher will be supported by his most reliable lead out men, Tom Veelers and Albert Timmer.

“What I noticed last year after the Tour is it is a very big stress factor. I think it’s normal sometimes, especially after the Tour, maybe the tension is not that high any more, not all the time,” he continued.

“That’s why I would like to have a good time in the races on the bike and if there is a sprint possible then I would like to use that chance, that opportunity, and see how it goes. I think [The Tour of] Britain especially is also special because you have only six riders per team. I actually can’t remember racing with such a small team, in such a big race, so that can make also a difference.”