Alexander Kristoff, who had the worst season of his career in 2021, said 2022 could be his last if he does not get results with his new team, Intermarque Wanty-Gobert Materio.

Last year with UAE Team Emirates, Christophe missed the Grand Tour for the first time since the 2010 Neo Pro season. He only won two stages of the Pro Series Deutschland Tour.

He was nowhere near the level of the four-time Tour de France stage winner, who has won Milan-San Remo and the Tour de Flanders, and who won 20 stages in 2015 The Norwegian, who turns 35 in July, is hoping to win races again.

"It depends on how things go this year," Kristoff told Norwegian TV2 (opens in new tab). 'I intend to continue for a few years, but I have to be at the right level. Last year was not enough. I feel I have the motivation to work for a couple more years. I am not worried about motivation. It's more about having fun

"The most important thing is to start winning some races again and scoring more points."

Christophe has been in a private training camp in Gran Canaria for two weeks before joining his new team in Benidorm this weekend and so far He says he is doing well and healthy.

Last year he lost his chance when he crashed in the season opener at Omloop Het Niusbrod, and his illness further hampered his Classic campaign.

"Last year I got the flu before the Classic and it messed me up a bit. But I wasn't at the level I used to be."

This is a new year for the Belgian team, which is entering its second season at the World Tour level. Christophe has been an important reinforcement along with fellow Norwegian Sven-Erik Byström, but Intermarke's squad is not as well-rounded as he enjoyed in the UAE and Katusha before that.

"I think it's working well," he said. Valerio Piva, the sporting director, whom I have known since my time in Katusha, is very well organized. There is an order to things. Ike Visbæk, the sports director who used to be at Sunweb, is also a very systematic type of person. Things and equipment are well planned, and so far I'm very happy with the way things are going."

Christophe will start the season with the Mallorca Challenge at the end of January, followed by the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Volta ao Algarve in February. At the end of the month he will lead the team in the opening rounds of the Belgian Classics, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kune Brussel Kune, before making his debut in Tirreno Adriatico in March.

The team is then scheduled to compete in the Classics, the Tour de Suisse, the Tour de France, and the World Championships in Australia.

At Intermarché, Christophe has a coach who believes in his abilities. Piva told Cycling News in October that he believes Christophe's experience will give him an advantage over young stars like Mathieu van der Pol (Alpecin Phoenix) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma).

"Christophe, who is in good condition and will be supported by the group in the finale, can still make a statement. The youth and freshness of these two guys is an advantage at the moment, but in big monuments, experience often counts. I believe Christophe can compete with them on equal terms," Piva said.