No key role for Team Giant-Alpecin as Zico Waeytens came in first at 45th. Matthew Brammeier soloed to the victory on the closing stage of the Ster ZLM Toer and Andre Greipel secured his overall win.

The finale stage of the Ster ZLM Toer GP Jan van Heeswijk started in Eindhoven and finished in Boxtel after completing three local circuits of 19.6km each, making 183.1km.

In the final local lap, Matthew Brammeier (MTN – Qhubeka) escaped and soloed to the finish in Boxtel. In the bunch sprint Team Giant-Alpecin could not play a key role. Wayetsn came in first at 45th. With a second place on today’s stage, Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) secured his overall win at the Ster ZLM Toer.

"I am at a good level and have proven that I am combative," Kittel said. "Sometimes it just does not go as I want. We'll see what happens.

"Speaking about myself, I'm damn proud of what I've accomplished in the last two months. I've had a lot of headwind and bad luck plus not always the support I wanted. It was tough, but I kept fighting.

"My ambitions are clear: I would not be here if I did not want to be top rider at the Tour. But no one should be there without being good enough. I've made progress, but my opinion is just part of the process..."

“After 45km 8 riders escaped and that situation was ok for us. LottoNL-Jumbo started chasing because Hofland was still in the race for the overall win. 20km for the finish the gap was closed, but at one of the narrow roads Brammeier got away,” said coach Marc Reef.

“Because Lotto Soudal made sure that the peloton slowed down, his advantage went up very fast to 1’20”. Too late bunch came up speed again and Brammeier was gone for the win. We tried to do a sprint but for a second place it is always a difficult situation.

"We wanted to sprint with him [Kittel] and that did not work, but it is too early to say whether he goes. We should not decide based on emotions.

"It is indeed a dilemma, but it is also clear that we want to score in the Tour. If we select a rider who currently can not do that, we do injustice to others. We are going for stage wins and that we can do that at different levels."