“I think it is a good opportunity" - Cees Bol gets his sprint chance for Astana Qazaqstan in the absence of Mark Cavendish

With Mark Cavendish sadly being forced to abandon the 2023 Tour de France with a broken collarbone, his leadout man and a quality sprinter in his own right, Cees Bol gets his sprint chance on stage 11.

“I think it is a good opportunity,” Bol told WielerFlits just before the start of what is the final chance for the sprinters to take a stage win before the big mountains return as the Tour de France enters the Alps for the first time in 2023.

With Cavendish coming close to victory on stage 7 but being ultimately unable to take that elusive, would-be record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win, what chance does Bol feel he has in the expected bunch sprint on stage 11?

“Theoretically, a lot is possible," he says with a smile. "But top 5 or top 3 is a nice target.”