Former sprinter Marcel Kittel, who retired midway through last season, said his past victories "don't define who I am" and that he has found life outside of cycling at least as rewarding as his professional career.

Speaking to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad on Sunday, Kittel said he is now "where I want to be in my life" and has no regrets about leaving his life as a professional sportsman.

In the last two seasons of his career, Kittel was unable to replicate the form that won him five stages in the 2017 Tour de France, and since then he has won only three times: two stages at Tirreno-Adriatico in 2018 and the one-day Trofeo Palma in early 2019 After failing to do so, he made the decision to retire last August, saying that he had lost the motivation to continue torturing himself on the bike.

Since then, the 32-year-old German has begun an economics degree at the University of Konstanz and became a father late last year.

A year ago, he admitted that he never seriously considered really quitting the sport, which he turned pro with Skill Shimano in 2011.

"It wasn't a happy time in my life. It was a situation where I was thinking about everything in my life," Kittel said. I was in talks with the [Katusha] team about terminating my contract, but at that point I didn't know which way it was going to go."

"I wasn't thinking about quitting--that decision came later--but that's when the process started. All major life decisions start with a gut feeling. I spent a lot of time trying to clarify what was the right thing to do so I wouldn't regret it later. Now I know that a lot can change in a year. That was a great outcome. I am now where I want to be in my life."

Kittel and his girlfriend live with their son in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, just south of the German border on Lake Constance. Their house is not full of jerseys and trophies from their rider days, he told AD.nl by phone.

"There are a few, but most are in the basement or with my parents in Germany," he explained.

Kittel was also asked about his former teammate Tom Dumoulin, who was with Giant Alpecin for all four seasons. Dumoulin also spoke about the pressures of the sport, with the Dutch rider switching teams to Jumbo Visma before the 2020 season, even though he was still under contract with Sunweb (later Giant-Alpecin).

"I don't like to compare myself to anyone," Kittel said. "Also, a Grand Tour win like Tom's [at the 2017 Giro d'Italia] is not on the same level as what I've accomplished. But when you look at how he's grown, what he's accomplished, what's happened to him, it's perfectly normal from a human point of view for an athlete to be mentally exhausted. Everyone suffers in their own way and has to find a way to cope with it.

"Cycling is a hard sport in every way, physically and mentally. The average fatigue experienced by a rider is higher than ever. And the pressure from the outside is tremendous. How you deal with that depends on your environment, your family environment, and your team. All I know is that Tom is on the right team now.

Jumbo Visma also considered signing Kittel after Kittel cut ties with Katusha, before deciding to retire.

"Last year it was clear that that team was the only option for me to continue," Kittel said. 'I had the best option. So I understand more how important it was for me to find out what I really wanted. Ultimately, I made the decision to quit not because I had to, but because I wanted to.

Kittel added that he quickly realized that cycling was just one chapter of his life and that there was much more beyond his career as a professional sportsman.

"I am incredibly proud of what I have accomplished and experienced in my 20 years as a rider. [The birth of my son, Rex, is another big reason I'm so glad I made this decision. He is five months old and growing very fast. I am now a part of his upbringing and get to see up close and personal what happens so early in a child's life."

Kittel added that he still pursues bike racing, but does not particularly miss it.

"The birth of Rex has stirred my emotions more than any success. That feeling lasts much longer than a stage win in the Tour or the day I put on the yellow jersey." But the child and the responsibility that comes with it will define the rest of my life. All I want is for him to be healthy and happy

"If I have to give back all my victories for that, I don't have to think about that for a second. My victories do not define who I am," Kittel said. 'My victories have given me the confidence to be a sprinter. Children put everything in perspective and show you that there is more to life."