Germany’s Kittel swaps Belgium’s Quick-Step for Katusha Alpecin

German sprinter Marcel Kittel has left Belgium’s Quick-Step Floors and signed a two-year deal with Swiss cycling team Katusha Alpecin.The 29-year-old, who joins world time-trial champion Tony Martin at Katusha, said he was looking forward to the new challenge.“For me, this moment is exciting,” Kittel said on the team’s website (teamkatushaalpecin.com). “With this step, I also hope to get new inspiration. I find all the requirements in the team that I need to be strong in the sprint finals.”Kittel, who won five stages at the Tour de France this year and wore the points leader’s green jersey for 12 days before a crash forced him to abandon the race, will be replaced by Team Sky’s Elia Viviani at Quick-Step Floors.The Italian will join his new team in January and will be hoping his departure from Sky, who are more focused on Grand Tours and one-day races, can lead to more success at a sprint-oriented outfit.Team Sky have replaced Viviani with three-time Spanish national time-trial champion Jonathan Castroviejo from Movistar and compatriot David de la Cruz from Quick-Step Floors. The duo will join the team from 2018.“I have been part of Grand Tour winning teams in the past and I want to do that again in the future,” the 30-year-old Castroviejo told Team Sky’s website (www.teamsky.com).De la Cruz, who finished seventh at the Vuelta a Espana last year, believes the British team is the best place to progress in his career.“The team understand my skills and what I can offer... I am looking forward to this new challenge,” the 28-year-old said.