Image 1 of 5 Rick Zabel, Alexander Kristoff and John Degenkolb on the podium in Frankfurt (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 2 of 5 Alexander Kristoff taking a clear victory at Eschborn-Frankfurt (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 5 Alexander Kristoff after the Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 5 Alexander Kristoff was third in the De Panne time trial (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 5 of 5 Alexander Kristoff on the podium after winning stage 2 at Three Days of De Panne (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Alexander Kristoff has been told by Katusha-Alpecin that he is 'too heavy'. The Norwegian sprinter said that there is a 'stressed mood' within the team this year, but that he does not see why he should bear any blame.

"I've been told that I'm too heavy," he told TV2.no. Kristoff, who stands 181 centimetres tall, weighs 78 kilograms.

"They think I should go down two or three kilograms," said the rider who took a WorldTour victory at Eschborn-Frankfurt on May 1.

"I'm not heavier than other years, but they mean it. If you look at my exercise diaries, however, they show that I'm on the same weight as other years.

"I take it with a pinch of salt. Obviously I could have been a little lighter, but I'm going to perform in flat races and then this is not so important. At the same time, I have tried to lose weight without it having helped significantly."

The problem, he says, is that "I have slim legs and arms, but I have a little stomach."

Kristoff has six wins so far on the season. He accounts for all but one of the team's successes in 2017, making it difficult for him to understand the team's dissatisfaction.

"I do not see why they are going to be mad at me, because I'm the only one who has performed in Katusha. Of seven victories in the team, I have six. But there has been a stressed mood in the team this year."