TRAILER: @RoadCode On the eve of his last @LeTour @MarkCavendish talks on the race, number 35 and sprint in our new video exclusively on Road Code! Watch it now: goto.roadcode.cc/rcast #RoadCode #TDF2024 #AstanaQazaqstanTeam
"If they put faith in me, I can deliver" - Mark Cavendish defiant ahead of final Tour de France
CyclingWednesday, 26 June 2024 at 15:30
Gearing up for one last dance, the final Tour de France of the legendary career of Mark Cavendish is now just a matter of days away. With Project 35 sure to be one of the stories of the upcoming Grand Tour, excitement is growing within the Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Having initially planned for the 2023 edition of the Tour de France to be his swansong, Cavendish came so close on stage 7, finishing second behind Jasper Philipsen thanks in part to a gear malfunction in the final few hundred metres, the Manx Missile crashed out the very next day with a broken collarbone. Not one to go out with a whimper, it didn't take much for the Astana Qazaqstan Team to convince Cavendish to have one more year.
With an experienced sprint train including the likes of Michael Morkov, Cees Bol and Davide Ballerini, Cavendish believes his teammates could be the secret weapon this summer. "They are guys that I've raced with before," he explains to Road Code. "So it's not about finding out where they can fit, what they can do and having to show them that if they put faith in me, I can deliver."
"I know how they work and where to follow. They know how I work and how to guide me," the 39-year-old sprinting legend continues. "That's definitely a benefit. It takes a lot of time to build a unit and find out how something works. So you can look at winning straight away."
The faith Cavendish has in his teammates is clearly reciprocated too if recent comments by leadout man Cees Bol are anything to go by. "He is capable of it. We believe in him with the whole team," Bol previewed confidently and determinedly in conversation with Wielerrevue. "Basically, Michael Morkov is the last man and I am the link before that. We have trained well as a team lately, so we are ready."
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- It's going to be a great fight! I hope JV gets there in shape, Pogi aswell! And, I hope the Giro wont be a goal, but the Vuelta instead. Let Wout do his Giro (or Jorgensen as GC he can still do the Tour after or the Vuelta) Then, JV and Pogi, will have a match in both the Tour and the Vuelta! (Given Pogi goes for the Tour-Vuelta this time)Stitz08-11-2024
- Dumb and dumber...two of the worst cycling commentators to listen too ! Roll sounds like he's going through puberty half the time with his comments.frieders308-11-2024
- Il faut une enquête antidopage complète sur (au moins) PogacarFredoFredo07-11-2024
- Le mec était hyper chargéFredoFredo07-11-2024
- Ca continue avec l'équipe UAEFredoFredo07-11-2024
- C'est Evenepoel qui a gagné cette courseFredoFredo07-11-2024
- the “cloud of shame” thing has a lot to do with the cycling world’s REACTION to a doped rider, not simply whether or not they doped. merckx got caught over and over, but clearly no cloud of shame affixed by cycling culture to him. same with countless tdf champions and other legends i won’t list again at risk of belaboring the point.OCexile07-11-2024
- He was supposed to race Tour + Vuelta, but since Pogacar and Vingegaard are going there, he changed to Giro + Tour (just to try to win the yellow jersey at the 1st week and the ITT probably). Against Roglic he has a bit more chances in Italy. Press will consider him as the favourite anyways, as usual. Other contenders not to underestimate will be Ayuso and Jorgenson. Now he's just waiting to see how many kilometers the ITTs will have. to formalize his participation.Acapulco07-11-2024
- Oh look. CUD leans into another doper for commentary. Hey guys - there are other people to talk to... You know... people who didn't leave the sport in a cloud of shame...critguy07-11-2024
- Its results will mainly depend on him, though.Acapulco07-11-2024