Cavendish equals Merckx’s stage record
CARCASSONNE, France — Thirteen years after his maiden stage win at the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish added yet another mass sprint to his tally and equaled Eddy Merckx’s alltime record of 34 stage wins Friday.
Merckx amassed his wins in the 1960s and ’70s, an era during which his domination was so outrageous that he earned the nickname of “The Cannibal.”
Unlike Merckx — who did it a record five times — Cavendish has not won the Tour.
“I don’t think I can ever be compared to the great Eddy Merckx, the greatest male road cyclist of all time,” he said.
Cavendish’s abilities are more limited, but his speed prowess and longevity among his fellow sprinters have no equal at the Tour.
Taking part in cycling’s biggest race for the first time since 2018, the 36yearold former world champion posted his fourth stage win in the southern city of Carcassonne, at the end of a long and hot day on the bike.
Having survived the Alpine stages in terrible weather conditions, Cavendish will have two more opportunities in flat stages to beat Merckx’s record if he goes across the Pyrenees without trouble.
Known as “The Manx Missile” as he comes from the Isle of Man, Cavendish jostled for position in the last 1½ miles of the 137mile ride to stay on the wheel of leadout man Michael Morkov. Cavendish looked trapped in traffic with 300 yards left but zigzagged to the front and comfortably won ahead of Morkov. Jasper Philipsen was third.
There was no significant change in the general classification as race leader Tadej Pogacar enjoyed a quiet day in the peloton. Pogacar kept his 5:18 lead over Rigoberto Uran, with Jonas Vingegaard in third, 5:33 off the pace.