🇮🇹🇫🇷 RACE: @LeTour @MarkCavendish has been caught by the crash and could not take part in the sprint, while Davide Ballerini was our best rider at the finish. #TDF2024 #AstanaQazaqstanTeam
"Cav had some bad luck, but that's how it is" - Astana left empty handed after chaotic Tour de France sprint
CyclingTuesday, 02 July 2024 at 16:00
Astana Qazaqstan Team have come to the Tour de France fully focused on obtaining a stage win with Mark Cavendish in the sprints but the first attempt was far from successful. The Manxman was 113th across the finish line after he was hampered by a mass crash in the final kilometers of the stage, and DS Mark Renshaw collected the conclusions from the day.
"It was the first sprint finish of this Tour de France, we are of course disappointed, because our riders were hampered by the crash that happened 2 kilometers from the finish," Renshaw said in words after the stage. It was a disappointing outcome for Astana but in reality, to all teams with strong leadouts which include Jasper Philipsen's Alpecin, Dylan Groenewegen's Jayco and also Alexander Kristoff's Uno-X. It was a very chaotic sprint where ultimately, outsider sprinters were able to thrive.
Davide Ballerini, expected to be part of the leadout for the Kazakh team, was able to finish eighth on the day but that will do very little to satisfy the team ambitions. Nothing less than a victory in the flat days will be an achievement and Cavendish will have to overcome a day in the mountains now before going on to try and dispute another one this next Wednesday.
"I think the guys are in really good shape and it's positive despite everything. We executed the plan very well today, all our riders were focused as soon as the finish approached," Renshaw added, trying to have a positive outlook on the day. "Unfortunately, they were hampered by the crash in the final and then it was over. But I am really happy with the performance that Ballerini put in today (8th). I think he should make a top 10 and that's really a good thing. Cav had some bad luck, but that's how it is."
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