In spite of being crowded in, the 39-year-old Cavendish dashed to victory in the Tour’s fifth stage, pulling away from the finish line by about 100 meters.
In what is likely to be his final participation in the largest race in cycling, Mark Cavendish penned a new chapter in the history of the Tour de France. With his 35th victory on Wednesday, the seasoned sprinter from the Isle of Man surpassed the record held by Eddy Merckx for the most stage wins in a career at the Tour de France.
In spite of being crowded in, the 39-year-old Cavendish dashed to victory in the Tour’s fifth stage, pulling away from the finish line by about 100 meters. He was first past Jasper Philipsen to cross the finish line, and he celebrated with his teammates.
Alexander Kristoff, a cyclist from Norway who had wrecked earlier, came in third. The time allotted to them was 4 hours, 8 minutes, and 46 seconds.
Cavendish talked about his unwavering thirst for success sixteen years after he took home his first Tour stage victory.
Cavendish, accompanied by his kids on the platform, declared, “I always needed to win one more, more more.” Every year, it takes a lot to get there. Amazing folks are all around me.
Two-time winner Tadej Pogacar came in just within the lead pack in 35th place after just avoiding a collision. Cavendish had the best day, even if Pogacar was still wearing the yellow jersey as the race leader.
In the 2021 Tour, he tied Merckx’s record of 34 victories, and in the previous year’s seventh stage, when he was just defeated by Philipsen, he came dangerously near to finishing at No. 35. A day later, he broke his right collarbone in an accident.
From 1969 until 1975, Merckx, a Belgian rider who is regarded as the most dominant rider in cycling history, won 34 individual stages of the Tour.
Cavendish made the right choice in giving it another go.
“All I wanted was for the run-in to be completed. I’m a little shocked by this. To ensure that we perform well in the Tour de France, Astana took a significant risk this year,” Cavendish remarked. “We’ve done it.”
After his 2023 race finished earlier than expected, Cavendish chose to postpone retirement for a year and return to compete.
Ultimately, in 2008, Cavendish achieved cycling history by winning his first Tour stage.
Several cyclists paused to chat or give Cavendish hugs following the 177.4-kilometer (110-mile) stage from Saint-Jean-De-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas.
Merckx accumulated these victories in a time when he was so dominant that people dubbed him “The Cannibal.” Cavendish has never won the overall title—or even come close—in contrast to Merckx, one of the four riders to win the Tour five times.
However, Cavendish’s longevity is unmatched by that of his fellow Tour sprinters.
Twice he took home the best sprinter’s green jersey at the Tour de France. Along with winning stages at all three Grand Tours (the Giro d’Italia and the Spanish Vuelta are the other two), he also won a world championship in 2011.
After Cavendish’s Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl contract expired and he was passed up for the 2022 Tour, he joined Astana.
Cavendish had had a challenging Tour to begin with. He seemed to have trouble with heat and upset stomach during the opening round.
Cavendish remarked, “I know how it works, my trainer and everyone around me knows how it is.” “I completed fifteen Tours de France. I prefer not to suffer or have horrible days, but I know it’s all in my head, so I have to get through it.
Pogacar, meanwhile, needs to complete another flat stage without incident on Thursday. On Tuesday, he successfully attacked the top of the race’s first significant mountain climb to regain the lead.
He was just grateful not to crash on Wednesday.
“We were all together when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, something in the midst came up. Fortunately, I avoided getting hit by the guys in front of me who braked, causing us to briefly touch wheels,” he added. “I followed my instincts and got really lucky.”
The 25-year-old Slovenian is ahead of Vuelta and 2022 world champion Remco Evenepoel, who is making his Tour debut, by 45 seconds overall. Two-time reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard, a Danish rider who suffered serious injuries in a high-speed incident at the Tour of Basque Country in early April, trails Pogacar by 50 seconds.
After victories in 2020 and 2021, Pogacar is aiming for his third Tour championship and the elusive Giro-Tour double. Marco Pantani, who passed away in 1998, was the last rider to win both the Giro and the Tour in the same year.
After 35 kilometers (22 miles) on Wednesday’s stage, Clement Russo and Matteo Vercher formed an escape.
This may have encouraged the French riders, since Romain Bardet and Kevin Vauquelin won the opening two stages. Russo and Vercher had about 36 kilometers (22 miles) remaining when the rain started to fall.
Stage 6, which takes place on Thursday, is primarily a flat trip of around 100 miles that passes through vineyards and is ideal for sprinters. This Friday is the first individual time trial.
