The emotional shout of “Go Mark!’ in several languages from contained in the Astana-Qazaqstan group was the primary signal that historical past was about to be made on the Tour de France on Wednesday afternoon.
I used to be stood exterior the group bus with just a few different media, watching the ultimate kilometres on our cellphones. However we had been just a few seconds behind the reside French tv photos on the bus and will think about what was occurring.
Then the shouts of encouragement turned even louder and much more emotional. Then they exploded in celebration when Mark Cavendish gained the dash in Saint-Vulbas.
The Manxman had gained his thirty fifth stage on the Tour de France, to go one higher than Eddy Merckx. It was a second of biking historical past, one that always appeared prefer it would possibly by no means occur however one which Cavendish and everybody at Astana-Qazaqstan at all times believed in.
Everybody within the group bus roared in celebration and banged the roof and home windows. The bus’ horn rang out like church bells, telling everybody that they’d gained. ‘Venture 35’ had been achieved.
Workforce supervisor Alexander Vinokourov was the primary to come back off the bus. He may hardly maintain again his feelings. He shortly grabbed a motorcycle to trip to the end space. He interrupted Cavendish’s tv interview to hug him and have a good time collectively.
Vinokourov and Cavendish have grow to be surprisingly shut within the final 18 months after the Kazakhstani supervisor invested and believed within the Manxman, when most different groups had written him off.
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On the day Cyclingnews revealed that Chinese language carbon fibre producer XDS Carbon-Tech would make investments considerably within the group with the aim of making a ‘tremendous group’, Cavendish and Astana-Qazaqstan delivered. The celebrities aligned in a second of success and little doubt helped create the way forward for the group.
As Cavendish celebrated along with his teammates after which his household on the end line, different riders rode by and supplied congratulations.
“To proceed to do what he does at his age – he is 39, and everybody says you get slower as you become older – he is confirmed that incorrect, actually. It is unbelievable what he does, and I am tremendous glad for him,” Geraint Thomas mentioned.
The Astana-Qazaqstan race vehicles arrived subsequent, blowing their horns and shouting in celebration.
Vasilis Anastopoulos returned as Cavendish’s coach this season having beforehand labored with him at QuickStep when he was so profitable in 2021. Cavendish has spent extra time with him at races and at his Greek residence for particular coaching than he has spent at residence along with his household. No one is aware of what Cavendish has overcome, even in current months, like Anastopoulos.
He was understandably in tears.
“You noticed at the moment why he’s a giant champion,” Anastopoulos mentioned.
“He’s 39 years previous. A lot of the guys thought he wasn’t going to make it. He proved them incorrect one time in 2021, after which he proved all people incorrect once more in 2024. He’s a phenomenon. I can let you know it was not a straightforward one, however we by no means stopped believing that this might come true.”
‘Venture 35’ is accomplished however Anastopoulos, like Cavendish, continues to be hungry for extra success and extra feelings like at the moment.
“We’re not going to cease,” Anastopoulos mentioned.
“Tomorrow is one other likelihood. We need to win as a lot as potential. That’s why we can’t cease. Our aim is to achieve Good and have a good time there. We wish two or three extra wins earlier than he can cease.”
“He is only a effective wine. He simply will get higher and higher”
Mark Renshaw hugged Anastopoulos and the opposite workers members after leaping out of the group. Stefano Zainini was a profitable sprinter throughout his personal profession however was overcome with emotion. He was the primary directeur sportif to work with Cavendish at Astana-Qazaqstan and at all times believed he may get again to his greatest and win a Tour de France stage.
“He is only a effective wine. He simply will get higher and higher,” Renshaw mentioned of Cavendish.
“The group had a lot confidence in him, and so they’ve had confidence all yr. Vino backed this challenge, and we signed nice riders.
“We have modified the group to take care of him, to get him potential to win and he has simply been mega dedicated. I do not know what number of days he is been along with his household, however this yr it is not many. That is the form of dedication you want as a motorcycle rider.”
As Cavendish accomplished the stage winner’s podium ceremony and did a sequence of interviews, different group autos and buses drove previous on their approach to their accommodations. Many stopped to high-five and congratulate the Astana-Qazaqstan workers. Everybody working behind the scenes in skilled biking groups is aware of how particular main victories, particularly historic victories, are. There was respect and shared happiness.
The crowds regularly diminished because the Astana-Qazaqstan bus waited for Cavendish to reach. A few of his teammates headed to their lodge by automobile, and a lot of the media headed again to the Tour de France press centre.
I and some different journalists determined to attend to see Cavendish return. It felt the appropriate factor to do. I’ve adopted a lot of Cavendish’s profession, from his Tour de France debut in 2007 in London, his Milan-San Remo victory in 2009 and plenty of others since then. It appeared like a second to seize, to savour and to share.
An hour or so after the stage, everybody appeared down the street in direction of the end space, ready for Cavendish to reach.
We noticed his spouse Peta and their kids strolling in direction of the bus, after which Cavendish joined them, beaming with happiness and satisfaction.
“I am so glad. I am so glad for him, I am glad for Vasilis (Anastopoulos), I am glad for Vino, I am glad for the entire folks on this final couple of years that have gotten on board and dedicated the identical manner that he has,” Peta informed Cyclingnews and the Biking Podcast.
“On Monday, when everybody was saying: ‘Why has he come again? He is too previous, he ought to have stopped final yr, have some dignity, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I used to be similar to: ‘Say a bit louder!’ As a result of Mark generally is a ache within the arse, however for those who say that he cannot, then he in all probability will.”
Peta and Mark have overcome many obstacles collectively, particularly lately. She understands his love for biking and why he needed to race on in 2024 to attempt to win a thirty fifth stage on the Tour de France.
“He loves the Tour de France and I by no means wished him to depart the Tour behind an ambulance like final yr,” Peta defined, the emotion filling her voice.
When Cavendish lastly reached the group bus, he hugged Anastopoulos intensely. Anastopoulos quietly mentioned to him, ‘We did it, we did it…’
Cavendish additionally hugged Renshaw, as soon as his loyal leadout man, now his loyal directeur sportif. Quickly on the bus they posed for a selfie. Cavendish held up 5 fingers, Renshaw three, signifying 35 victories.
Venture 35 has been achieved.
