Marcel Kittel has announced his retirement from professional cycling, saying: "I have lost all motivation to keep torturing myself on a bike."
The 31-year-old German sprinter terminated his contract with Katusha-Alpecin in early May, saying he wanted to take time away from the sport to consider his future. He spent a few days at the Tour de France, with Jumbo-Visma reportedly keen to sign him.
However, he confirmed his decision to retire in an interview with the weekend magazine of German news magazine
Der Spiegel.
"Pain defines the sport, the world in which you live," Kittel said in a brief extract of the interview published on Friday. "I have lost all motivation to continue to torture myself on the bike."