Mark Cavendish had to retire on Saturday. © APA/afp / THOMAS SAMSON

Team wants to encourage injured Cavendish to continue

The Astana cycling team wants to encourage veteran star Mark Cavendish, who retired from the Tour de France after a fall, to continue his career.

July 09, 2023

From: dpa

“Yes, we want Mark to continue in 2024 and be able to compete in his 15th Tour de France to win his 35th stage,” team boss Alexander Vinokurov told the French sports newspaper L'Equipe. Cavendish suffered a broken collarbone in a crash on the eighth stage on Saturday and had to abandon the race. This also shattered his dream of a record stage win, meaning he would have finally left legend Eddy Merckx behind. Both lead the list with 34 successes each. At the end of the season, the 38-year-old former world champion Cavendish actually wants to end his career.

“I broke my femur on the Tour in 2011, it was supposed to be my last year. But I didn't want to stop like that. I extended and fought for victory at the London Olympics the following year,” added Vinokurov, who even won gold in the Olympic road race in 2012 before Buckingham Palace. “Mark has the same spirit, the same will to achieve his ultimate goal. We are ready to offer him this opportunity. But he will decide.”

The best sprinter in Tour history: Mark Cavendish © ANSA / CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Cavendish had shown his class on the Tour this year. In Bordeaux, the Brit narrowly missed out on victory in second place on Friday when he was over-sprinted by three-time winner Jasper Philipsen after problems with the gears. He also managed a stage win at the Giro d'Italia this year. It was also his 162nd professional victory, only Merckx has more successes (275). “He is the best sprinter in Tour history,” said Christian Prudhomme, head of organization for the Tour of France, about Cavendish.