Information editor at Biking Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on on the higher echelons of our sport. This piece is a part of The Leadout, a e-newsletter sequence from Biking Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe right here. As ever, electronic mail adam.becket@futurenet.com – must you want to add something, or recommend a subject.
Sir Mark Cavendish will line up in Florence on Saturday, prepared for his fifteenth and ultimate Tour de France, within the information that he’s already making historical past: he would be the first knight to ever trip the French Grand Tour.
His thoughts, although, might be on a much bigger slice of historical past. The 39-year-old, as I’m certain you already know, stands only one stage win away from setting the document for Tour de France stage wins. At current, the Astana Qazaqstan rider has 34, the identical quantity as the best bike owner of all time, Eddy Merckx, however wants only one extra to overlook on alone.
Every time I consider making historical past, I consider an Irish play of the identical identify, written by Brian Friel. I doubt Cavendish is of the identical thoughts. As a substitute, he might be centered on making his personal historical past, his biking immortality, which is able to include only one extra stage win.
Only one, that’s all he wants. If you consider the 164 wins the Manxman has taken over his profession – a document for a male sprinter, by the best way – only one extra doesn’t seem to be that large an ask.
I feel he’ll do it. There is perhaps as many as eight dash alternatives at this 12 months’s Tour, and Cavendish solely wants one to go proper. He virtually had it final 12 months, in Bordeaux, solely to be denied by his gears slipping and a rampaging Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
Cavendish has at all times been among the finest at getting in the suitable place on the proper time, and his Astana group is ready as much as ship him to precisely the suitable level; Michael Mørkøv and Davide Ballerini have been each a part of the Soudal Fast-Step group which helped him to 4 wins in 2021, and with Cees Bol, type an enviable leadout practice.
You’ll be able to virtually image it in your thoughts. One of many levels ending in a flat end, like Dijon or Saint-Amand-Montrond. Cavendish, hidden from view till the ultimate second, bursting out as if from nowhere, out-pacing his rivals, the arms outstretched. It will really feel deserved too, with the person in blue getting back from a lot simply to be on the beginning line, not to mention aggressive.
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I’ll be trustworthy, I’ve completed an enormous U-turn on the concept of Cavendish doing it this season. He hasn’t raced as a lot as he normally does, via sickness primarily, and has solely gained twice – on the Excursions of Colombia and Hungary.
Additionally, Philipsen seemed so good final season, and has constructed this 12 months across the Tour once more. Together with Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny), there are extra in type – and doubtlessly quicker – sprinters on the race.
Nevertheless, the Tour is totally different, and the ‘Manx Missile’ thrives on the most important of levels. He’ll be there, pissed off on days he misses out, and can discover the suitable second to strike. The expertise he has constructed up counts for a lot, and so long as he makes it over the excessive mountains, a chance will current itself. Additionally, Philipsen and De Lie can’t win all eight dash levels, proper?
Dot Tilbury, Cavendish’s first ever biking coach when he was making his manner on the Isle of Man, put it higher than me earlier this month: “The one factor I can say is that Mark Cavendish would not be there if he did not suppose he may do it.
“Folks have written him off when he has had his ups and downs, however he would not have come again if he did not suppose he may win. Do not write him off. When he’s cooking on gasoline, it is poetry in movement.”
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