Mark Cavendish on Tour de France record: "I'm not going to suddenly stop if I can't win that 35th stage"
Cycling
Mark Cavendish has had a very long winter, and his start of the season comes more as a sigh of relief more than anything else surely. The new Astana Qazaqstan Team rider discussed some of his obstacles, and thoughts regarding the Tour de France record.
Cavendish spoke to L'Équipe in a recent interviewing claiming that “a lot has happened in my private life lately. When the B&B project was off, Alexander [Vinokourov] called me. I had a number of options before that, but some of them were no longer current."
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"It was an easy negotiation with Vinokourov. We quickly agreed, which was refreshing. I am grateful to him and Astana for giving me time to focus on the things that happened in my private life," he said.
Having suffered armed robbery this winter, alongside the long and slow collapse of B&B Hotels-KTM, Cavendish found himself in a very rough position in December. However, Astana ended up in the right position as they had the budget to spend, and Cavendish was back free on the market.
A combination that not many would've expected last season, however the Manxman is now a leading figure and head sprinter of the Kazakh team. With Cees Bol coming over and a couple of signing over the winter being focused in the sprints, it is not unreasonable to picture the 37-year old with a strong leadout and capturing stages this year.
This ultimate goal, of course, is the Tour de France: “I want to go back to the Tour, my whole career is based on that race." However, he's keen that his life doesn't depend on netting the record-breaking 35th win. "The record is not that important to me, that is outside speculation. I'm not going to suddenly stop if I can't win that 35th stage."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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