Robbie McEwen applauds retiring Mark Cavendish: "You get these sprinters that are once in a generation and that’s what he’s been"

Mark Cavendish has enjoyed epic 17 seasons as a pro, including 53 Grand Tour stage wins, a world road race title in 2011 and an Olympic silver medal in the velodrome.

“He is the GOAT. He’s the greatest sprinter of all time for me and a great friend,” eurosport expert and former pro Adam Blythe said on the ground at the Giro. “He’s just a phenomenon and one of a kind. I don’t think we’ll see anyone like Cavendish in the years to come.”

“He’s been an absolute phenomenon throughout his career,” said 12-time Giro and Tour stage winner Robbie McEwen. “You get these sprinters that are once in a generation and that’s what he’s been – but he’s also spanned a number of generations."

“He’s had incredible highs, he’s had some lows where you thought he might have called it quits, come out of those lows swinging, and won again. It’s just been an incredible career.”