'Back to the day job' for Mark Cavendish after Track World Championships
Mark Cavendish is back to racing on the road, rejoining his Dimension Data teammates on the team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mark Cavendish says that he is "back to his day job” at Tirreno-Adriatico after racing the Track World Championships over the weekend. Cavendish is aiming to help Dimension Data and build for Milan-San Remo, with his place at the 2016 Olympics still undecided.
Dimension Data placed 15th, 1-03 back behind winner BMC, in the opening 22.7-kilometre team time trial. Cavendish finished slightly off, 1-12 behind his team-mates along the shores of Lido di Camaiore, in Tuscany.
"Not really, it's just back to the day job really," Cavendish said when asked if he was still on an emotional high from the Worlds. "I have a team to work for here. I've got to get back to the job of representing them. It's going good with the group of guys here."
Cavendish placed sixth in the omnium and won the gold medal in the Madison with Sir Bradley Wiggins, which he hopes will earn him a spot for the Olympics. He and British Cycling are due to decide for the Rio de Janeiro Games after the Tirreno-Adriatico ends on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the business was racing a team time trial. He arrived to the Dimension Data bus last and shook his team-mates' hands one-by-one as they warmed down. After some time warming down and speaking with team manager Brian Smith, Cavendish climbed off his bike.
"I'll see how the next couple of weeks go, with Tirreno this week, and see how my form gets out," Cavendish responded about going to the Olympics. "Then hopefully it's a good little Classics campaign."
He changed the subject when asked more about the track, but he appeared happy to be back with his road team after racing in circles on a 250-metre wooden track.
"I didn't feel comfortable at all. We were going pretty fast," Cavendish said of the Tirreno time trial. "We did the recon this morning, and the wind changed the other way so we could've gauged our effort differently. I'm happy with that, the team rode well as a unit.
"We haven't had any training in the team time trial, so it's all right. It was no problem [back on the road], I've been training on the road. It was only 22 kilometres, so we'll see how the next days go."
In the next days, Cavendish could have a chance to sprint on stages three and six. It is unsure, though, because both stages cover small hills in the final kilometres.
"All the sprints are uphill this week," he explained. "And we have good riders for those short uphill finishes and for the mountains. Dimension Data is looking to be in the forefront of the race the whole week."
The team includes Steve Cummings, who placed sixth overall last year. Both Cavendish and Edvald Boasson Hagen, will use the week to prepare for Milan-San Remo next Saturday. Smith told Cycling Weekly that Cavendish would participate in the monument he won in 2009.
Thank you for reading 10 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
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Pfeiffer Georgi wins Brugge-De Panne solo after aggressive race splits in crosswinds
Brit claims her first WorldTour win by out-foxing some of the fastest riders in the world
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
Kaden Groves sprints to victory on stage four of the Volta a Catalunya
Australian takes first win for new Alpecin-Deceuninck team ahead of Bryan Coquard
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish's Astana team refutes claim it breached sunglasses contract
Team says it "fully respected" its sponsorship deal with sunglasses supplier Scicon
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Mark Cavendish buys second guard dog for £20,000 after knife point raid
Peta Cavendish said family home had become a reminder of "threat and fear" after home invasion robbery in 2021
By Adam Becket • Published
-
In photos: Mark Cavendish through the years, all his teams and kits
18 years, six teams, 161 wins. Will 2023 be a last hurrah for the British champion?
By Adam Becket • Published
-
CW Live: Mark Cavendish to start season at Oman; Giro wildcards unveiled; UCI updates Covid rules; Amsterdam builds underwater garage for 7,000 bikes; Cavendish family 'terrorised' by robbery; and LTNs do not push traffic onto boundary roads
All the news you need in the world of cycling this Thursday. It's cold!
By Adam Becket • Last updated
-
Last chance saloon: Why has Mark Cavendish ended up at Astana? And will it work?
The British champion has joined the sixth different team of his professional career in the hunt for one more Tour de France stage win
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish signs for Astana-Qazaqstan and will remain on the WorldTour for 2023
The transfer saga is over, Mark Cavendish has officially found a team, and will chase the Tour de France stage win record
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
CW LIVE: Mark Cavendish threatened with knife in home robbery; Israel-Premier Tech and Uno-X receive wildcard invites to the Tour de France; Sonny Colbrelli looking to enter politics and concerns raised over Van Aert and Van der Poel appearance fees
All the latest news from the world of cycling
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
CW Live: Van der Poel and Pieterse win Herentals CX; Mark Cavendish still not at Astana; Lizzie Deignan awarded MBE; 1.7% of bike theft cases result in a charge; Egan Bernal targets Tour de France return?
Happy new year from Cycling Weekly, here's everything you need to know this Tuesday
By Adam Becket • Last updated