Tour de France 2021: Mark Cavendish’s big chance to break Merckx’s Tour stage record
(BBC) From an opening stage masscrash in the peloton caused by a spectators’ cardboard sign, to Tadej Pogacar’s obliteration of the general classification field so far, the 2021 Tour de France has been breathless from the start.
But, given the world is finally starting to forgive the spectator who caused the crash
- after a sincere apology and the race organisers dropping planned legal action we can turn our attention to a much more heart-warming story.
Mark Cavendish, Britain’s top sprinter who tearfully claimed his own glittering career looked over last year, after years of illness, injury and poor form, is now on the verge of greatness.
The 36-year-old was not even supposed to be at this Tour, but was a last-minute replacement following injuries to his Deceuninck-Quick Step team-mates Sam Bennett and Fabio Jakobsen.
Cavendish came into the three-week race with 30 stage wins already to his name, but few expected him to have the explosive energy required for victories that he once had in abundance.
But, out of nowhere, his form as returned, and he has won two sprint stages in this first week. He now stands just three stage wins away from overhauling legend Eddy Merckx’s all-time Tour win record of 34.
A quick look at the 12 stages remaining on the Tour, suggests there are five more flat sprint days remaining for him to try to overhaul the record - it could even come on the sport’s most prestigious single stage - the final day into Paris, where riders take the traditional sprint down the Champs-Elysees.
Cavendish, who is from the Isle of Man, is said not to discuss the record with team-mates, instead publicly praising the team for their role in revitalising his fortunes.
“These moments... it’s not just what you win, it’s how you win it,” he said on the race’s first rest day from his team hotel. “Even if we stop now, this has been one of the nicest Tours.
“[Michael] Morkov is the best lead-out [rider] in the world. He’s calm, like the anti-me.
“They are more than a lead-out, they are a team - I’m lucky to have these guys.”
Cavendish is known for his impassioned responses to journalists’ questions over the years, but whether he feels any pressure to equal or break this milestone of not, the opportunity is falling into his lap.
Many of the race’s best sprinters have abandoned the race following crash injuries or, like France’s Arnaud Demare on Sunday’s brutal climbs through the Alps, they did not make the dreaded time cut required to continue.
Those are all unusual events that do not usually occur in this race, making this one this strangest of Tours so far.
Cavendish’s campaign for greatness could begin as soon as today’s 191km stage 10 run from Albertville to Valence.
But his best next chance should be Thursday’s race from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Nimes.