Mark Cavendish targeting first win in 17 months at Tour of Poland
The sprinter will target the first three flat stages after abandoning the recent Adriatica Ionica on stage one
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mark Cavendish will lead Dimension Data at the upcoming Tour of Poland, which rolls out of Krakow on Saturday August 3.
The 34-year-old has recently returned to racing after beating the Epstein Barr virus that had plagued him for the last couple of years.
>>> Rumours of Mark Cavendish move to Bahrain-Merida resurface
However, Cavendish is still looking for his first win in 17 months, his best result of the 2019 season so far being a third place finish in a stage of the Tour of Turkey in April.
His most recent race was the Adriatica Ionica, which took place in Italy at the end of July, where the Manxman suffered a mechanical and finished nine minutes down on Álvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) who won the bunch sprint on stage one. He then abandoned the race on stage two.
Cavendish will be looking to compete in the first three flat stages at the Tour of Poland, with Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) also set to contest the bunch sprints.
The former world champion will be supported by Bernie Eisel and Jaco Venter, with Enrico Gasparotto, Stefan De Bod, Gino Mader and Ben O’Connor completing Dimension Data’s seven-man squad.
Cavendish was left out of the South African team’s Tour de France squad this year, with the sprinter four wins off Eddy Merckx’s record 34 Tour stage victories and team management at odds over how the decision was made.
Performance manager Rolf Aldag said general manager Doug Ryder overruled him on the decision over Cavendish’s inclusion. “There’s no secret about it. I wanted to have him here and I think he would have suited our strategy but ultimately it was a team owner decision,” Aldag said at the time.
“It’s within my responsibility to select a team and I called eight names and Mark was included. The team owner has the right to overrule me, which he did.”
However, Cavendish has said he is ‘not thinking of Merckx’s record’ and just wants to win one more time, according to his former team boss Erik Zabel.
With the Tour omission and Cavendish’s former coach Rod Ellingworth set to take over Bahrain-Merida later this year, rumours of the sprinter moving to the team have resurfaced, with the Manxman out of contract at Dimension Data at the end of the year.
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
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
CW Live: Nairo Quintana to ride Colombian National Championships; State goes carbon; Tom Pidcock's 2023 road programme; British Cycling announce squad for upcoming UEC European Track Championships; Are Giant about to launch the 2023 Revolt X gravel bike?
All the need to know news in cycling this Monday
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Sven Nys says Tom Pidcock skipping cyclo-cross World title defence ‘makes sense’
‘An effort to win in Hoogerheide will cost so much’ says Belgian cyclocross legend on a course that favours Pidcock's rivals
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Speed Demons of the peloton: The six best sprinters of 2022
We take a look at the standout performers of the fast men and women in the professional scene this year
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
British UCI Continental team makes pitch for Mark Cavendish’s signature
Saint Piran boss Ricci Pascoe says he would gladly provide a short term place for Cavendish, if it helped him to achieve Tour de France dream
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
B&B Hotels, the team that was set to sign Mark Cavendish, collapses
Multiple riders left scrambling to find places on alternative teams after demise of French ProTeam confirmed
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
B&B Hôtels boss: 'Mark Cavendish wants to be with us. I want him to be with us.'
Team's hunt for sponsors intensifies after missing UCI registration deadline
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Time running out for B & B Hotels, the team expected to sign Mark Cavendish
Team still without major sponsors as UCI impose deadline of 22 November for team to complete registration for new season
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Movistar quick to quash Mark Cavendish signing report
Italian press speculation over future of sprinter denied by Spanish team
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish: Tour de France 2023 has 'ample opportunities for bunch sprints'
Fast man thinks there might be seven or eight sprint chances, but he has to find a team first
By Adam Becket • Published