Mark Cavendish: ‘Yorkshire has been a shock to the system’
Manxman admits a tinge of disappointment at his form but praises the support at the roadside.

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.
Sprinter Mark Cavendish has sad his first race back from injury has shown him his form is a little behind where he thought it would be.
“It has been a shock to the system, having had so little racing this year,” said the Manxman after arriving at the finish of stage three of the Tour de Yorkshire in Scarborough more than eight minutes behind winner Max Walsheid (Sunweb).
“I thought I’d be a bit better than I am,” he said. “I’m a bit skinny, I’ve been training but I’m just missing that top end.”
The Dimension Data captain last finished a race at the Tour of Oman in February and has since crashed out of the Abu Dhabi Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. He started the Tour de Yorkshire hopeful of bagging a stage win on either of the first or third stages that, on paper, appeared to suit a bunch sprint.
However, on the first he was denied the opportunity because the breakaway stayed away to contest the win and on the third he found himself distanced from the peloton on the Cote de Sipho around 50km from the finish when BMC upped the pace.
“We knew they were going to do it, we’d talked about it,” he said referring to BMC’s pressure on the climb. “We were trying to hang on over the top… When I felt myself blowing I thought maybe I can get over it but I didn’t have do enough to do it.
“We were behind by about 30 seconds and we knew we had to commit before the TV knew I’d been dropped because the bunch gets a tow from the TV motorbike and we don’t and we might never get back unfortunately we didn’t get it going before the TV saw us.”
Still, Cavendish seemed relaxed with his family around him at the finish and will doubtless be making plans to find his top end before his big goal of the Tour de France in July. Before that race he is due to race the Tour of California in later this month and Tour of Slovenia in June.
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!
Having trained as a journalist at Cardiff University I spent eight years working as a business journalist covering everything from social care, to construction to the legal profession and riding my bike at the weekends and evenings. When a friend told me Cycling Weekly was looking for a news editor, I didn't give myself much chance of landing the role, but I did and joined the publication in 2016. Since then I've covered Tours de France, World Championships, hour records, spring classics and races in the Middle East. On top of that, since becoming features editor in 2017 I've also been lucky enough to get myself sent to ride my bike for magazine pieces in Portugal and across the UK. They've all been fun but I have an enduring passion for covering the national track championships. It might not be the most glamorous but it's got a real community feeling to it.
-
-
I'd choose the club ride over going solo, any day
Cycling Weekly's Digital Editor refuses to share a point of view with one of our regular contributors
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Back from bankruptcy, Mavic opens new facility in Vermont, teases new product
In addition to re-establishing sales in North America, the historic brand will release new wheels in the coming months
By Anne-Marije Rook 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
-
‘A terrible loss’ - Mark Cavendish’s team reacts after sprinter abandons Tour de France
Astana-Qazaqstan riders sad to lose their leader, who crashed out of his final Tour de France on stage eight
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Mark Cavendish crashes and abandons Tour de France on stage eight
Astana-Qazaqstan sprinter shown holding his collarbone after coming down on stage eight, so no stage win record
By Adam Becket Published
-
'We don't give any presents' - Jasper Philipsen keeps Mark Cavendish waiting for Tour de France record
Belgian continues sprint dominance, and pays tribute to 'best of all time' Cavendish
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Mark Cavendish ‘devastated’ as 35th Tour de France stage win slips through his fingers
Manxman suffers mechanical in Bordeaux as Jasper Philipsen grabs third stage win of the race
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
AS IT HAPPENED: Tour de France stage 7: Mark Cavendish gets another record breaking chance
After two thrillers in the Pyrenees its another day for the sprinters as the race heads to Bordeaux
By James Shrubsall Last updated
-
A brief history of Mark Cavendish and the Tour de France
As the Manxman takes one last lap of France we look back at his history in the race that has defined his career
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Marcel Kittel: ‘I believe in Mark Cavendish'
The 14 time Tour de France stage winner backs Manxman to grab record breaking 35th stage win in the coming days
By Tom Thewlis Published