"I am happy that I was there" - Good signs for Mark Cavendish as he thrives in crosswind action at UAE Tour
Cycling
Mark Cavendish sprinted to third at the opening stage of the UAE Tour. However that is quite a motivating result taking into account how he had to work through the crosswinds to fight for victory.
“It was all about positioning from the start. Cees and I were initially in the front echelon, but I lost my position because of a stone on the side of the road. I fell right back into the second group," he details.
The Manxman wasn't able to make his way into the initial echelon early in the day, but he did at the crucial moment with Quick-Step split the race in the final kilometers. The toughest part had been done and showed Cavendish's good legs on the day.
“However, I was able to get stuck in the wheel there, since Cees was still in the first group. When everything came together again, I immediately took the wheel from Cees. He is a great rider to be in the wheel with." Then it was all to play for in the final sprint.
“I got a bit stuck in the last corner before the sprint. I did my best in the sprint and a podium finish is not bad. I am happy that I was there, but also with my form and with the support of Cees in the final," he concluded.
Cavendish will have three more stages that are for the sprinters, but for the time being he will take a step back these next two stages as Alexey Lutsenko takes over the lead of Astana.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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🇦🇪 RACE: @uae_tour An impressive race in Stage 1 from @ceesbol1995 and @MarkCavendish, who takes his first podium place for our team! A really good third place 🥉! #UAETour #AstanaQazaqstanTeam 📷 @SprintCycling
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