“The day after he crashed in the Tour, my phone was ringing" - Michael Morkov and Mark Cavendish set for final reunion tour in 2024
Cycling
One of the iconic sprint duos of recent years, Michael Morkov and Mark Cavendish will be reunited in 2024 as the pair take on one final campaign together for the Astana Qazaqstan Team before Cavendish's retirement.
'The Manx Missile' had initially announced his retirement for the end of 2023, but after crashing out of the Tour de France, Cavendish has returned for another chance at a record-breaking 35th stage win at the Tour. According to Morkov, it didn't take long for the Brit to have second thoughts following his Tour de France abandonment.
“The day after he crashed in the Tour, my phone was ringing,” Morkov has recalled in conversation with Velo from an Astana Qazaqstan Team training camp. “I looked at my phone and it was him, and I knew already what he wanted to do.”
“It was a nice phone call,” Morkov explains further. “I said to him, ‘I know why you are calling.’ He is sitting there in the hospital making a list of everything he needed. He was already super-motivated and that motivated me.”
With Morkov joining the likes of Cees Bol and Davide Ballerini in the sprint train, Cavendish is well placed for a run at more Tour de France history in the summer. “In the end, it’s a matter of trust,” Morkov says. “Mark has a huge confidence in me. He trusts that me and the team will bring into position to where he can do his sprint. He knows if he takes advantage of me and the team around, he has a great chance to win.”
“A lot of people will watch the Tour to see if Cavendish can win one more stage,” he concludes. “In the bunch, most riders would like it if he can win. Everyone is a fan of Cavendish, he is like a legend riding around. I am sure nobody will brake to let him win, but I am sure a lot of guys will be happy to see him win. If you like cycling, it’s a big game.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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Mark Cavendish will be reunited with former lead-out man Michael Morkov as the Dane leaves Soudal Quick-Step to join Astana Qazaqstan 🤝 Tour de France stage win 35 incoming? 👀
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