Cav's road back to the Tour de France
At the end of the 2020 season Mark Cavendish was out of contract and, he thought, out of options. Now he's back winning stages of the Tour de France
After three seasons blighted by illness and injury, Mark Cavendish surprised everyone, including himself, by gaining selection for the Tour de France. Now, in one of the sports biggest comeback stories, he's winning stages again. Peter Cossins investigates how he climbed back to the sport’s summit
The bright, hot light of a Mediterranean spring creeps under the roof of the Athens Velodrome. On the track apron in a pile of exhausted twisted limbs, lies one of cycling’s true greats, Mark Cavendish.
Empty from the efforts set by his coach the 36-year old has collapsed spent, unable to hold himself up, let alone pedal a bike.
In many ways the image from Cavendish’s Instagram tells you much of what you need to know about the Manxman’s recent comeback. It always comes back to the track with Mark Cavendish.
He has spoken many times about how work on the boards has helped hone the speed in his legs - most notably in 2016 when Olympic omnium prep set him up for four Tour stage wins.
A post shared by Mark Cavendish (@markcavendish)
A photo posted by on
His current return to the top that saw him selected for his first Tour since 2018 is no different. Indeed the roots go back even further. “When we first met, within five to 10 minutes there was a really strong connection between us,” says his coach at Deceuninck-Quick Step Vasilis Anastopoulos.
“We soon realised that we’d raced in some of the same track meetings together, like the Revolution meeting in Manchester in 2003 and some of the Track World Cup events after that, so that provided an immediate link between us. We were both on the same page.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
It was Anastopoulos who took Cavendish to the Athens velodrome in spring this year seeking a return to winning ways. Back then they didn't dare dream it would result in him taking to the startline of the Tour in Brittany.
No one was more surprised than Mark Cavendish when, on the Monday before the Tour de France was due to start, he got a call from one of the team’s directeurs sportifs to tell him that he had been drafted into the Belgian team’s line-up for the race.
“I was in a bit of shock. Wilfried Peeters called me and I was a bit quiet,” he admitted as he faced the media in Brest. “If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be sitting here in this spot… I have some self-belief but I probably wouldn’t have believed it,” he added.
You can read the rest of this feature in the July 1 issue of Cycling Weekly magazine, your essential companion to the Tour de France. You can buy single issues of Magazine or you can subscribe, enjoy an initial discount and get it delivered each week.
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
Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport and Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments, his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by Alpe d’Huez, an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.
-
Cycle to Work scheme is 'sucking the lifeblood' from local bike shops, say retailers - here's how to save on tax, ethically
Find a scheme with lower commission, and lobby your employer to use it
By Adam Becket Published
-
Coach's view: Does cycle commuting really count as training?
How to make sure you're getting the most out of your two-wheeled trip to work
By James Shrubsall Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard leaves hospital after Itzulia Basque Country horror crash
Danish rider underwent surgery to repair broken collarbone; too early to know whether Tour de France return will be possible
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Will the Tour de France be won by the last man standing?
With Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič hitting the deck at Itzulia Basque Country, all three now face battle to get their seasons back on track
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tom Pidcock unable to bear weight on right leg after Itzulia Basque Country crash
British rider crashed during recon of opening stage time trial last weekend and injured his right hip
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish to miss Scheldeprijs as illness continues to affect schedule
Cavendish will ride Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye later this month, Astana Qazaqstan confirms
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel not intimidated by Tadej Pogačar’s form ahead of Milan-San Remo clash
Dutchman starts his 2024 road season at Italian Monument on Saturday
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I pulled it off and turned everything around' - Brandon McNulty on the ride that changed him
US star grabbed his first ever Grand Tour win at last year’s Giro d’Italia
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson, Visma-Lease a Bike’s new star, continues to impress at Paris-Nice
The American could step into the leaders yellow jersey on Tuesday evening after stage three’s team time trial in Auxerre
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published