"I'd take my bike and walk off into the sunset. Mark Cavendish won't!" - Peter Kennaugh doubts historic 35th will be last win for his great friend this Tour de France

Whilst Mark Cavendish's 35th Tour de France stage win on Wednesday in Saint Vulbas brought many an emotion to those watching, for the sprinting legend's Isle of Man compatriot, former teammate and longtime friend, Peter Kennaugh, things were especially emotional.

"It's insane isn't it! The longevity of his career and what it takes to be at the top. Not only to ride in the peloton as a domestique and be present in the race, but to win and continuously win in the manner that he has done," Kennaugh reflects post-stage in his analysis for ITV Sport. "What we've seen today will go down in not just cycling history, but sporting history. It is just incredible and I'm absolutely over the moon."

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Having achieved his first stage win all the back in 2008, many of the riders Cavendish defeated in his latest triumph were still children when the Manx Missile burst onto the Tour de France stage. Throughout the 16 years between first and last win, there have been many downs too, making this high at his final Tour all the more sweeter for Cavendish.

"There was the Epstein-Barr situation," Kennaugh notes. "One thing for sure in Mark Cavendish's career, is that you can never rule this man out. It's the way he wins, the way he performs. He thrives off people telling him he can't do it and he's had that his whole career. From before he turned pro, up until this very day, teams didn't want to sign him. Astana Qazaqstan Team gave him a chance, it didn't happen last year but this year they've said, we'll back you even more, build the team around you and put all the eggs in one basket. What a gamble!"

Is this the end though? Only once has Cavendish only managed a sole win at the Tour de France. When he gets the ball rolling, there is quite often a slew of stage wins. "In the age we live in now, which is all about numbers and aerodynamics, this was the complete opposite. It was about much more than cycling, it was about passion, belief, dedication and his love for the sport," says Kennaugh. "I'd take my bike and walk off into the sunset. Mark Cavendish won't!"

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"Last year I said to Mark: a rider like you can’t finish like this at the Tour" - Alekxander Vinokourov beams with pride after Mark Cavendish writes history

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