The
Tour of Oman was a tough test for
Mark Cavendish. As the Manxman tries to build back his form he found a hilly race and hot weather to get race rhythm back, and Astana are looking to support him in every way in the upcoming months.
“The first stage was the first time trying a leadout for Mark, and the first time for a squad that is normally aways trying for the GC,” team DS Stefano Zanini recently said. “It was our first time with a really great sprinter and it was a good effort from the squad. Very, very good.” The Manxman's debut at the Tour of Oman was far from spectacular as he failed to have the legs to contest the race's only sprint, and stayed in the peloton throughout the hilly and mountainous stages, however he has gotten his first taste of competition in 2023 which he will use to build on his spring.
The race was however a modest test. Having had little time to practice due to Cavendish's late signing, the team had one opportunity to test their men in a bunch sprint. Next week at the UAE Tour the challenge will be serious and Cavendish will face many of the world's best sprinters who will seize the several pan-flat days the race has to offer.
“If we can have the right men in the leadout like we did in the first stage then for sure. We are a multi-diverse team, and the important thing is to work on the sprints without stress, and to try, try, try. The sprinter, in this case Cavendish, has to have faith in the squad and this is important," he describes.
Support in Cavendish is not only important for the sprinter himself, but for Astana, who have lost Miguel Ángel López and Vincenzo Nibali this winter and have signed the veteran as their hope to capture big wins. It's a tough ask, but a possible one, and one the Kazakh team want to bet a lot of coins on.
"Mark has entered well in the squad," Alexander Vinokourov told CyclingWeekly and TuttoBiciWeb. "He immediately found his place and we are happy about that. Now we have to find the right setting for his leadout, with [Cees] Bol, [Yevgeniy] Fedorov and [Martin] Laas. We know it is not easy, but we are working to do it well."
Manuele Boaro, fellow veteran and now teammate of the Manxman at Astana, confirmed the high spirits by adding that “we all want to try the best for the team and Cav because we respect him. I also think it’s good that sometimes you change something because it gives you different and new motivation.”
