Mark Cavendish hoping for contract renewal at Deceuninck - Quick-Step

Mark Cavendish says he hopes for a contract extension with Deceuninck - Quick-Step after putting in several top performances during the 2021 season.

Cavendish has shown that he still has his turn of speed after taking four stage wins at the Tour of Turkey as well as multiple top-four results this year.

This has given the 'Manx Missile' hope that he can get a short or even long-term contract when he speaks to team boss, Patrick Lefevere, about his future.

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"I am now on 25 competition days, in which I finished 12 times in the top four. I was on the podium nine times. We didn't immediately expect that." the 30-time Tour de France stage winner told Sporza.

"I'll see Patrick soon, and then we'll see what happens to me in the short or long term."

Cavendish was very upbeat after taking second place at the recent Elfstedenronde race in Belgium where he was beaten by Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) in a very tight photo finish.

"I thought I was second, but you never know, things can turn in your favour. In Turkey I also won a stage when I thought I was actually second," he continued.

"I came just too late, but Merlier is arguably the best sprinter of the moment. It is perhaps an achievement that it was a photo finish and that I did not finish 10 meters behind him.

"The last kilometres were really chaotic. One guy from another team tried to get me out of position, even though he wasn’t anywhere near his sprinter, and I lost Michael [Mørkøv] going into the last corner. 

"We were in the middle of the peloton. I would rather have sat on either side of the road.

"In the end, I also lost the wheel to Michael. But then I saw Ackermann with Selig. That seemed like the perfect wheel to me, but they waited a bit longer to start. But the finish line was approaching faster than I was approaching at Merlier.

"This is Tim's sixth win of the year. He is currently the best sprinter there is. I'm glad I'm in the finish photo and Tim didn't arrive 10 meters in front of me."

"I've been in the C-team of Deceuninck-Quick-Step all year. But today I was in the A-team. With guys like Ballerini, Lampaert and Mørkøv you take control of the race. A dream. It was an honour that Evenepoel was leading the pack for me."

It is not yet known where Cavendish will next be racing but it is unlikely that he will go to the Tour de France due to team-mate and last year's Tour de France points jersey winner, Sam Bennett, likely targeting green again this year.