"I will be cheering so loud they will hear me all the way in Italy": Marcel Kittel moves over to "Sprint Control Room"

There are still nine stages left to ride at this year's Giro d'Italia, but Unibet Rose Rockets' sprint mentor Marcel Kittel won't be part of this adventure. The German coach left Italy on the second rest day, and will continue his work remotely as the team around Dylan Groenewegen eyes the last two bunch sprint opportunities in Milano and Rome.

"I am currently in my Sprint Control Room," Kittel said via team's channels. "We decided a while ago that I would leave the Giro d'Italia on the second rest day. The sprint train is up and running. The guys know what to do and I can still do my preparation work from home as a sprint coach. The sporting side is in very good hands with the other sports directors who are still in Italy, so I am convinced that the boys will continue to build on what we started together."

The clear goal of Unibet Rose Rockets for their Grand Tour debut was, and still is, a stage win. Ideally through their sprinter Groenewegen who has been riding around in a great form the entire spring. And also at Corsa Rosa, as evidenced by a podium finish in Sofia.

"I left my other family members behind in Italy. Together with all the Rocketeers, we worked on our Giro mission. We came so close. Will that sprint victory still come? Today could've been another chance, and after that, more sprint opportunities are expected in Milan and Rome. I will be cheering at home and shouting so loud that they will hear me all the way in Italy."

But before the Rockets train can get back on rails, the team needs to make sure that their sprinter survives the high mountains. In that regard, stages 14 and 19 will be critical with multiple brutal ascents on each of the days. But if Groenewegen and the entire team can meet the time limit, they'll get another opportunity to make their coach proud.

"We have for every day a very clear goal. With that goal we get a very clear plan and we have very clear roles. The alignment is really important. Then we dive into the details. The briefings are like 30 pages long with all the details of the final."