Brilliant win. Can now see him picking up a win at the Tour, although the opposition will be stronger. Jackobsen is probably the number one sprinter right now isn't he?
Quick-Step thought that last year, hence why Cav didnt go to the Tour - However Jackobsen only won a single Sprint
Brilliant win. Can now see him picking up a win at the Tour, although the opposition will be stronger. Jackobsen is probably the number one sprinter right now isn't he?
Quick-Step thought that last year, hence why Cav didnt go to the Tour - However Jackobsen only won a single Sprint
Yes, he didn't climb well, But was he long back from injury after that horrendous crash?
Perhaps like the Giro there won't be one dominant sprinter like we've seen over the years. In the initial startlist for the Tour there's Pedersen, Philipsen, Matthews, Demare, van Aert, Van Der Poel, Jakobsen, Groenewegen, Ewan & Cavendish. No Ackermann, Gaviria or Groves at this stage.
Cav would probably have obliterated Merckx's record by now, if it hadn't be for the Epstein Barr virus (and Quick-Step choosing Jakobsen last year perhaps).
Brilliant win. Can now see him picking up a win at the Tour, although the opposition will be stronger. Jackobsen is probably the number one sprinter right now isn't he?
Quick-Step thought that last year, hence why Cav didnt go to the Tour - However Jackobsen only won a single Sprint
Yes, he didn't climb well, But was he long back from injury after that horrendous crash?
Perhaps like the Giro there won't be one dominant sprinter like we've seen over the years. In the initial startlist for the Tour there's Pedersen, Philipsen, Matthews, Demare, van Aert, Van Der Poel, Jakobsen, Groenewegen, Ewan & Cavendish. No Ackermann, Gaviria or Groves at this stage.
Cav would probably have obliterated Merckx's record by now, if it hadn't be for the Epstein Barr virus (and Quick-Step choosing Jakobsen last year perhaps).
It does seem like sprinter domination has fallen away. Partly due to the nature of Grand Tour routes (especially the Tour, they have tried to create more exciting routes that are harder to control and fewer back to back sprint stages), smaller GT teams, and less dedicated sprinter trains.
Cav's record and longevity is incredible. And you are right if it hadn't been for Epstein-Barr he would have that extra stage, also crashing out on Stage 1 in Harrogate in 2014, he would have got a few that year as well.
Just watched it, after being released on Netflix today, and am a little bit speechless to be honest - Some of it may have been scripted to create more of a story around 2021, but god they didn't hold back on his depression during the EBV days, or the struggles his Wife had dealing with it all.
Really is worth viewing, if not for the Fall and Rise of his recent career.
SPOILER: It ends very abruptly at the end of the 2021 Tour de France, nothing about him missing 2022, nothing covering his close attempts to win a Stage in the recent Tour... Maybe they want to save that for next years TdF Unchained on Netflix.
Nor was there (I have my fingers crossed this is for a reason), a comment about him Retiring this year.
Mark Cavendish has reached an agreement with Astana Qazaqstan boss Alexander Vinokourov to continue racing in the WorldTour for another year, according to reports.
Dutch media outlet AD, reported on Tuesday afternoon that a new deal is close between the legendary British sprinter and his current Astana team with the only current block being several rights agreements.
“Yes, we’d like Mark to continue in 2024 and race his 15th Tour de France to win that 35th stage,” Vinokourov said. “I myself broke my femur in 2011 in the Tour, and that should have been my last year. But I didn’t want to end my career like that.”
“I kept going and I worked hard to the point where I could win at the Olympic Games in London the following year. Mark has the same mentality, the same willpower to achieve his final goal. We’re ready to offer him that chance. But it’s up to him to decide.”
It now appears that Vinokourov is likely to get his wish with one source telling AD that without cycling Cavendish would be “lost in space.”
It's expected that Cavendish will make his return to racing at the Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye next month.
Meanwhile, Danish rider Michael Mørkøv has confirmed that he will leave Soudal Quick-Step at the end of the 2023 season. The 38-year-old has been heavily linked with Astana which could potentially reunite him with Cavendish as Astana look to strengthen their leadout train.
Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Mørkøv said: "I know who I'm going to ride for. It won't be Soudal-QuickStep.”
"It's a possibility. A good possibility,” he added when discussing the Astana links. “It hasn't been decided yet, so I can't answer that."
Mørkøv has long been considered one of the best lead out men in the pro peloton and enjoyed a hugely successful spell alongside Cavendish at Quick-Step. The duo raced together at the Belgian team in both 2021 and 2022, with Mørkøv helping Cavendish win four stages and the green points jersey at the Tour de France in 2021.
Dutch rider Ide Schelling will also join the team from Bora-Hansgrohe from next year to further strengthen the team’s firepower as they look to dominate the sprint stages in the French Grand Tour next July.
Complex character and not sure I'd want to spend too much time in his company on a bad day. But you can't argue with his accomplishments and what his done for his sport.
Sad to see him go, but no surprise now that he's made that made that stage wins record his own. Seems a bit of a character, I'm sure he'll be good for a second career doing something in cycling (if he wants). Best wishes to him.
Comments
Perhaps like the Giro there won't be one dominant sprinter like we've seen over the years.
In the initial startlist for the Tour there's Pedersen, Philipsen, Matthews, Demare, van Aert, Van Der Poel, Jakobsen, Groenewegen, Ewan & Cavendish. No Ackermann, Gaviria or Groves at this stage.
Cav would probably have obliterated Merckx's record by now, if it hadn't be for the Epstein Barr virus (and Quick-Step choosing Jakobsen last year perhaps).
Partly due to the nature of Grand Tour routes (especially the Tour, they have tried to create more exciting routes that are harder to control and fewer back to back sprint stages), smaller GT teams, and less dedicated sprinter trains.
Cav's record and longevity is incredible. And you are right if it hadn't been for Epstein-Barr he would have that extra stage, also crashing out on Stage 1 in Harrogate in 2014, he would have got a few that year as well.
Their Sprint Trains as shown in Chasing Legends were unstoppable
Just watched it, after being released on Netflix today, and am a little bit speechless to be honest - Some of it may have been scripted to create more of a story around 2021, but god they didn't hold back on his depression during the EBV days, or the struggles his Wife had dealing with it all.
Really is worth viewing, if not for the Fall and Rise of his recent career.
SPOILER: It ends very abruptly at the end of the 2021 Tour de France, nothing about him missing 2022, nothing covering his close attempts to win a Stage in the recent Tour... Maybe they want to save that for next years TdF Unchained on Netflix.
Nor was there (I have my fingers crossed this is for a reason), a comment about him Retiring this year.
Astana are set to sign Michael Morkov, the Lead Out Man who helped Cavendish get his last Stage wins with QuickStep back in 2021.
A team that have never focused on a Sprint train until now.
Be pointless signing him if they don't have a plan in mind for next season.
Dutch media outlet AD, reported on Tuesday afternoon that a new deal is close between the legendary British sprinter and his current Astana team with the only current block being several rights agreements.
“I kept going and I worked hard to the point where I could win at the Olympic Games in London the following year. Mark has the same mentality, the same willpower to achieve his final goal. We’re ready to offer him that chance. But it’s up to him to decide.”
It now appears that Vinokourov is likely to get his wish with one source telling AD that without cycling Cavendish would be “lost in space.”
Meanwhile, Danish rider Michael Mørkøv has confirmed that he will leave Soudal Quick-Step at the end of the 2023 season. The 38-year-old has been heavily linked with Astana which could potentially reunite him with Cavendish as Astana look to strengthen their leadout train.
Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Mørkøv said: "I know who I'm going to ride for. It won't be Soudal-QuickStep.”
"It's a possibility. A good possibility,” he added when discussing the Astana links. “It hasn't been decided yet, so I can't answer that."
Mørkøv has long been considered one of the best lead out men in the pro peloton and enjoyed a hugely successful spell alongside Cavendish at Quick-Step. The duo raced together at the Belgian team in both 2021 and 2022, with Mørkøv helping Cavendish win four stages and the green points jersey at the Tour de France in 2021.
Astana have already strengthened their sprint department in recent weeks with the acquisition of Italian fast man Davide Ballerini from Quick-Step.
Dutch rider Ide Schelling will also join the team from Bora-Hansgrohe from next year to further strengthen the team’s firepower as they look to dominate the sprint stages in the French Grand Tour next July.
King's Birthday Honours: Mark Cavendish given knighthood - BBC Sport
https://x.com/c_wconstruction/status/1815018909629571253