"I didn’t realise how fast we go" - Mark Cavendish experiences first Tour de France sprint from the other side of the barriers

No rider in the long and storied history of the Tour de France has won more stages than Mark Cavendish. No sprinter in the entire history of the sport has more wins. But now retired, 'The Manx Missile' is getting to see the chaotic sprints for victory from the other side of the barriers for the first time ever.

"It was great as a fan. It’s the first Tour de France bunch sprint I’ve ever seen on the finish line," a clearly excited Cavendish beamed gleefully in conversation with TNT Sports after watching Mathieu van der Poel out-kick Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard in a punchy finale to stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de France. "Wow, we go fast. I didn’t realise how fast we go. You’re there doing it, but seeing it…it’s good, huh? I’m quite proud."

"You see more from the other side, how special this race is," continues Cavendish, who has been seen throughout the first two stages of the Tour this year. "As a rider, you get on the bus, you race, you get back, you get your massage, you go to bed. You know it’s special, you feel it’s special, bigger than anything else, but that is exemplified on the other side. You know why it’s important to the French public. I am loving it."

In his final Tour de France appearance in 2024, Cavendish made history by doing the unthinkable and realising 'Project 35', overtaking the great Eddy Merckx for the most stage wins in the race's history. For 2025, Cavendish has been honoured by the race, and by the nation of France, with the mayor of Chateauroux, Gils Averous, announcing he would unofficially rename the town ‘Cavendish City’.

"Chateauroux is incredibly special for me," Cavendish said. "It was my first Tour de France win in 2008 and every time I’ve been there since, I was fortunate I got to win. It’s an incredible sprint: one kilometre, sprint finish, boulevard Tour de France sprint. It’s an important sprint stage. I was massively honoured, thank you to the city – I can’t wait until we go there."