Cavendish bounces back in style
fujairah — Mark Cavendish revealed that he was cross with himself for not pushing hard enough on Wednesday and that spurred him on to go all out in the third Stage of the Dubai Tour in Fujairah on Thursday.
The 32-year-old won the Dubai Silicon Oasis Stage for his third Stage victory in Dubai after two Stage wins in 2015. The Englishman had gone on to clinch the Dubai Tour that year, when riding for Etixx-Quick Step.
After a disappointing opening day of the Tour where he had finished 17th in the Nakheel Stage, Cavendish had come very close in the Ras Al Khaimah Stage, the second Stage of the Tour. But he flinched a bit towards the end and Quick-Step Floors’ Elia Viviani went on to edge the bunch sprint.
Cavendish said that he was angry with himself for letting his teammates down in the second Stage.
“I’m just a bit angry that I sat up yesterday. Technically I could have had the leader’s jersey. I apologise to my teammates for that,” Cavendish said after the Stage.
“They did a great job today. Bernie (Eisel), (Mark) Renshaw and I finished the job in the last 3km. I had a good feeling today (Thursday), especially after yesterday (Wednesday). I knew I was there. I knew the team was there. I can’t beat (Elia) Viviani in a track sprint race so I had to wait, wait and wait, and use my jump,” he added.
The Rio Olympics silver medallist felt it was good to get a win at the start of the season and said that he will make a fist of it going into the last two Stages of the Tour.
“Any time of the year, it’s important to win. It’s good for my account. Already with this win, I’ve won the same amount of races I won in the whole season last year. The thing I’m disappointed about is that yesterday, when I realised I couldn’t win, had I kept going, I would have come second and be in the lead now. It’s my own fault. But I’ll try and get the blue jersey in the next two days,” said Cavendish.
Cavendish also revealed that the crash at the Tour de France still rankles but added that he was quite happy with the early form this season.
“I still feel the consequences of my Tour de France crash in my body. It will remain for the rest of my life. Quick-Step, Cofidis and LottoNL-Jumbo all look good. There are so many good teams for sprinting here. I’m nowhere near the form I had in July but I’m happy with my form now,” said Cavendish, who has 30 Stage wins at the Tour de France.
Cavendish had fractured his shoulder after a crash involving Peter Sagan in Stage four of the Tour de France, last July.