'Miracles do happen': André Greipel planning on celebrating his 39th birthday with Tour de France stage win
The German hasn't won a stage of the Tour in five years


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
André Greipel is optimistic that he could roll back the years and win another Tour de France stage in the coming days.
The German sprinter has won 11 stages of the Tour in his illustrious career but not since 2016.
Incidentally, that was the same year that Mark Cavendish last claimed a Tour win, before the Briton’s four stages in the 2021 edition.
Greipel has been a bit-part player in the race’s sprint stages in the past three weeks, the Israel Start-Up Nation rider recording a bunch finish high of seventh on stage 10.
Following five stages in the Pyrenees, stage 19 - on the day Greipel celebrates his 39th birthday - should, based on the flat parcours, go the way of the fast-men once more, and although all attention will be on Cavendish as he goes in search of an historic 35th stage win, Greipel is preparing his own comeback.
“Never say never,” the 39-year-old told Cycling Weekly. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have started the Tour.
“I wasn’t on the long-list before the Tour de France so I’m really happy to be here. I have had a decent Tour, for sure I’ve not had the results I wanted, but I will keep fighting.
“There are 180 starters in the Tour, 21 stages, so there are plenty of riders who’ve not won a stage.
“Sometimes miracles do happen, and we are going to see after the Tour if another one happens or not.”
Greipel has scored 158 career victories, his last coming at May’s Ruta del Sol race in southern Spain.
Much like Cavendish, he had endured a torrid few years before returning to winning form, but he was insistent that his long-time rival’s recent successes haven’t acted as motivation for him, saying “I can inspire myself.”
There are only a few sprinters left in the race following a number of withdrawals throughout the Grand Tour, and Greipel suggested that Cavendish’s struggles in the mountains could work in his favour.
“There’s a reason there aren’t many sprinters here anymore,” he said. “But I am still here and I will be able to fight for the wins.
“We’re going to see if my legs are fresh and the winner in the coming days will be who has the freshest legs. I have to take the opportunities if they come.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
Cycling keeps you fit but are you doing enough to stay healthy?
It’s possible to be very fit in one specific way, for example being fast on a bike, while being unhealthy in other ways
By Joe Laverick Published
-
Dr Hutch: Motor-doping isn't rife, there's no way cyclists would use it discreetly enough
Some fans think that motor-doping is rife, but Cycling Weekly's columnist Dr Hutch is having none of it
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
In memoriam: Tadej Pogačar's white jersey domination
After 81 days in the young rider's jersey at Grand Tours, the Slovenian has grown up
By Adam Becket Published
-
'They race like juniors': How men's pro cycling is getting wilder and races refuse to slow down
Racing from the gun during a three week Grand Tour is a big ask for even the best and the strongest. Is this the new cycling?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Remco Evenepoel hopes to 'steal' Jonas Vingegaard's secrets at Vuelta a España as he looks to 2024 Tour de France
Belgian aiming for second Vuelta a España triumph over the next three weeks, but faces stiff opposition
By Tom Davidson Published
-
WorldTour teams have an extra three years to halve carbon emissions before losing license - UCI clarifies
A carbon emissions tracker has been introduced and it is mandatory for all stakeholders to use it
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
‘I really like city street racing’ - Tadej Pogačar on the ‘enjoyable’ World Championships road race course
Slovenian two-time Tour de France winner took bronze behind rainbow jersey winner Mathieu van der Poel
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Opinion: Mark Cavendish Netflix documentary shows why Tour de France return is in doubt
Manxman's route out of depression shows what's really important
By Vern Pitt Published
-
UCI carried out 997 checks for motor doping at Tour de France, all came back negative
837 tests carried out at stage start using magnetic tablets, 160 at stage finishes using either backscatter or x-ray transmission technology
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
How to watch Tour de France stage 21: live stream the action
Everything you need to know to watch Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs Élysées
By Cycling Weekly Published