Marcel Kittel optimistic that Team Argos-Shimano will be awarded a World Tour status for 2013
Marcel Kittel of Team Argos-Shimano is positive that his team will manage to receive a World Tour status for the new season, as a final list is expected on December 10, 2012.
The UCI Professional Continental side did well in the current season and is giving a tough time to a 12-year old World Tour side, Team Saxo-Tinkoff.
Only one of the two mentioned teams will be allowed to enjoy the top level of the sport in the season ahead and Team Argos-Shimano looks pretty good to overcome Bjarne Riis’ squad.
The German team’s top sprinter, Marcel Kittel is positive that his team overcomes Team Saxo-Tinkoff in every category required by the UCI and it is only a matter of time before the good news is revealed to the world.
"When we look at the facts, I think in every criteria we are above Saxo Bank. That is what I've heard," he told Cycling News HD.
Kittle alone claimed 13 victories in the 2012 season which is more than the collective win count than the whole Team Saxo-Tinkoff.
Some of his season’s highlights include first place finishes at the Scheldeprijs, Omloop van het Houtland, Münsterland Giro and also bagged stages at the Etoile de Besseges and the Three Days of De Panne.
The 24-year-old bagged multiple stages at the Ster ZLM Toer, Tour of Oman, Eneco Tour and the Tour de I’ Eurometropole 2012.
"I think our team represents strong ethical values. That is what makes us the team for the last spot in the WorldTour," Marcel noted.
"It isn't for nothing that we have the criteria for ethics. If we have it and then we don't apply it to the teams then we don't need it”.
“We have it now and we should make the difference between those teams when it is for a WorldTour licence. I expect that it is going to happen," he concluded.
The team was denied a World Tour status last year, after it failed to make a place amongst the UCI ranked top 20 teams and their final fate for the season ahead will be confirmed on Monday.
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