🏆 HE’S DONE IT!!! @MarkCavendish 35th win in the Tour de France!!! 🏆 IL L’A FAIT !!! @MarkCavendish remporte sa 35ème victoire sur le Tour de France !!! #TDF2024
"Tour de France is bigger than cycling" - Mark Cavendish finally makes absolute Tour and cycling history in Saint-Vulbas
CyclingWednesday, 03 July 2024 at 18:13
There is little more to say. After winning for the first time at the Tour de France back in 2008, he was beaten sprinters over generations on end and has done it today once again. Astana Qazaqstan Team's goal of taking the Manx Missile to Tour glory has payed off and Mark Cavendish has finally managed to break the ultimate stage victory record in the race.
"I can't believe it. It was a big gamble to be here, to try to win here. A big gamble for my boss (Alexandre Vinokourov, ed.). That shows that he is a former rider and that he knows what the Tour is," Cavendish said in a post-race interview. "We just did it. We did what we wanted. Every detail in terms of equipment and teammates was adapted to sprinting. We are not suddenly going to be at the top of the UCI rankings, but the Tour de France is bigger than cycling."
This is the result of a whole year and a half of work. Cavendish's career over the past years seemed to be ending several times, even after he matched Eddy Merckx' record. In late 2022 his transfer to B&B Hotels collapsed as the team was disbanded before the start of the season, but Alexandre Vinokourov took a gamble on the veteran sprinter. After a Giro victory in 2023 he started the Tour and almost succeeded, but crashed out in the first week of the race. He had already announced his retirement at that time, but postponed in order to give it another shot this season.
Mark Renshaw, his former leadout man, was signed as a DS. His former coach from the Soudal - Quick-Step days in 2021 was also signed to coach the Manxman; whilst the likes of Davide Ballerini, Michael Morkov and Cees Bol were all signed to lead him out in the sprints. Today was the result of all this devotion to Cavendish's cause. In a chaotic sprint, the Manxman found himself isolated from the team in the final kilometer but rode fantastically in the wheels and timed a powerful sprint to perfection, beating Jasper Philipsen to take the victory.
“Normally it takes me a while to get into it. I know how it works. I don’t like having bad days, but you have to push through it and wait for your chance. Then everything has to fall in your favor. We didn’t do it as a team, the way we wanted, but the guys were able to improvise and get me to the finish," he concluded. We can certainly expect a big celebration in the Astana camp today, and plenty congratulations from all sides of the peloton from riders to analysts to commentators to managers...
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- Remco could definitely lose a couple kilograms. That would help him a lot if he can keep his sustained power which is likely at his age. Above all else though, he needs support. He would have definitely been second if he had Jonas' supportVeganpotter08-11-2024
- van der poel is, what, 29? probably gonna be looking pretty good for this list by the time he walks away in 5 or 6 years.OCexile08-11-2024
- Jonas will be strong next year, he came into the Tour so lightweight after his injuries in that crash. I feel like he'll be focused and ready to go. That said Tadej is going to be tough to beat but it can happen. Should be a great Tour.awp08-11-2024
- 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