Mark Cavendish has achieved it. The Manx Missile made historical past as we speak with a classic efficiency on stage 5 of the 2024 Tour de France. Cavendish took his thirty fifth stage win, surpassing Eddie Merckx with whom he had beforehand tied the report. The group and its sponsors pulled out all of the stops for this effort, leading to a significantly particular and distinctive tools setup for the legendary sprinter.
Cavendish was driving a totally customized bike body, handlebar and stem, a customized helmet with a mixed worth of six figures — and that is with out his £1000 / $1275 socks, which he left within the group bus as we speak.
£1000 / $1275 socks, and why Cav did not put on them
Before everything let’s deal with the reasonably extraordinary footwear, and why on earth Cavendish wasn’t utilizing them.
For the early phases within the Tour de France, together with yesterday’s stage 4, Cavendish was seen sporting a set of recent aero socks, which include an astounding price ticket of £999 / $1275.
Cavendish wore the spendy socks on stage three of the Tour de France
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
The threads in query are the Nopinz P35 socks – P35 standing for challenge 35 – a reference to Cavendish’s report breaking stage victory. Particulars are scant on the Nopinz web site, with the British clothes model describing the socks merely as “Designed by champions for champions”.
For no matter motive although, Cavendish opted for way more run of the mil cotton socks for his thirty fifth stage victory. We predict this might have been right down to consolation, superstition and even simply so simple as not wanting his socks to fall down within the changeable climate circumstances of as we speak’s stage.
A completely personalized bike
For 2024, Staff Astana Qazaqstan have been driving bikes from Italian producer, Wilier Triestina, with Mark Cavendish choosing the Filante SLR aero bike over the brand new Verticale climbing bike.
The place his bike differs from every other although, is the wild customized paint job, which Wilier offered particularly for this yr’s Tour de France.
In a nod to his earlier world championship win, the bike contains a splash of rainbow watercolours on the cockpit, headtube, down tube, prime tube and fork. The general result’s impactful and completely elegant.
Son Frey David was on bike dealing with duties submit stage
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
On prime of that, Wilier has additionally continued the paint scheme onto the one-piece built-in handlebar and stem — a very good contact. Elsewhere on the bike, dashes of yellow and light-weight blue could be discovered within the decals of the Imaginative and prescient Metron wheelset.
So far as price is anxious, customary range-topping variations of the Filante SLR retail for €11,300 (round $12,191 / £10,316), however if you need the bike within the particular version Cavendish colors, you’ll have to cough up €13,300 ($14,350 or £11,255).
Richard Mille RM 011
Bunch sprints are inherently dangerous, and we noticed that showcased as we speak with a nervous end during which Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) hit the deck within the remaining 200 meters. So as to add a little bit bit of additional strain to himself although, Cavendish battled together with his bunch dash compatriots sporting a staggeringly costly Richard Mille RM 011 wrist watch.
Although actual fashions fluctuate in value, the RM 011 sequence watches continuously fetch between $150,000 and $180,000 (round £117,000 – £141,000) making Cav’s outfit one of the vital illustrious within the peloton.
Cav’s Richard Mille Rm 011, full with coordinated blue strap
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Richard Mille watches are famend for his or her progressive design, superior supplies, and excessive precision. They function skeletonized dials and complicated actions, mixing know-how with craftsmanship — and naturally, a excessive price ticket. Well-liked amongst celebrities and collectors, these timepieces are recognized for his or her exclusivity, including to the theatre of Cavendish’s thirty fifth stage victory.
Clearly, the Richard Mille does not precisely assist top-end velocity, if something the added weight would ever so barely hinder Cavendish’s acceleration within the remaining, but it surely definitely gave him some morale.
General it is an attention-grabbing setup for the Manx Missile, and one which simply goes to point out that the legs nonetheless should do the speaking, not matter what number of aero optimizations you make.
