HTC-Columbia has kept its confidence in British sprinter Mark Cavendish despite a rough season. It has paid off, too. Yesterday, he expressed his gratitude in the best possible way, winning stage five of the Tour de France in Montargis.
The stage win was Tour de France win number 11 for Cavendish , adding to his six from last year and four from 2008.
For the public, the wins were all but forgotten this spring when Cavendish failed to repeat at Milan-San Remo and took his first win relatively late. He had reason, though. He missed training and delayed the start to his season due to teeth problems.
This Tour de France presented its own problems for Cavendish. Not only did he lose team-mate Adam Hansen to a crash In stage one to Brussels Sunday, but he also crashed himself just before the finish line.
When Cavendish finally had his first proper go at a sprint, two days ago in Reims, something else went wrong. He had no response to rival Alessandro Petacchi's early jump at 350 metres to the finish line and he felt he had let his HTC team down for what was a near-perfect lead out.
HTC team manager, Bob Stapleton, stepped into the team's bus and talked Cavendish immediately after the stage.
"I told him we were behind him 100 per cent and that he did not have to worry because we have confidence in him," explained Stapleton. "This is the first time the team has struggled in its long history, but I think adversity isn't going to break this group."
The same public who forgot just what Cavendish has already accomplished by the age of 25 also enjoy the way he adds a punch to the sport. Cavendish's two-fingered salute in the Tour of Romandy in May and rough treatment of his equipment after the Reims stage spice up cycling. It is in the same vein as former Italian super sprinter, Mario Cipollini, and not the ho-hum style of German Erik Zabel, who, oddly enough, is now Cavendish's coach at HTC.
Cavendish's style, though, has left some fans confused and even led to some disrespectful team Sky supporters to shout, "Cavendish, you suck! Go home!"
"I think obviously there's no fire without fuel," said Cavendish after his win yesterday. "There are a lot of people who want to judge my personality on what they see 30 seconds after a bike race."
His Tour de France win yesterday in Montargis was a show of gratitude for HTC confidence in the difficult moments and a response the doubting public. Cavendish proved to everyone he can back up his reputation with quality and classy wins.
Tour de France 2010: Latest news
Cavendish strikes back in Tour de France
Thomas happy with Tour's white jersey; but says 'All for Brad'
Wiggins crashes on Tour stage start
Cavendish and Farrar return to top
Cavendish keeps up fight for first Tour win
Sky delivers Boasson Hagen to third without pressure
Thomas in tour's white jersey; Wiggins gains time
Evans and Schleck gain in Tour's hell of the north
The Feed Zone: Tour news and views (July 6)
Vande Velde abandons Tour following crash
Andy Schleck has a laugh after stage two crash
The Feed Zone: News and views (July 5)
Sky banks on Thomas ahead of cobbled stage
Cavendish's sprint train weakened with Hansen out
Armstrong under fire as Landis allegations reach mainstream
Team Sky's decision to put Wiggins off early back fires
Tour de France 2010: Stage reports
Stage five: Cavendish wins his first stage of Tour
Stage four: Petacchi wins into Reims
Stage three: Hushovd takes dramatic win; Thomas second on stage and GC
Stage three live coverage: As it happened
Stage two: Comeback man Chavanel takes victory in Spa
Stage one: Petacchi wins in Brussels as bunch left in tatters
Prologue: Cancellara pips Martin to win
Tour de France 2010: Photos
Stage three photo gallery
Stage two photo gallery
Stage one gallery
Prologue photo gallery
Tour de France 2010: Videos
Stage four video highlights
Stage three video highlights
Stage two video highlights
Stage one video highlights
Prologue video highlights
Tour de France 2010: Race guide
Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
Official start list, with race numbers
Brits at the Tour 2010
Tout team guide
Tour jerseys: What they are and what they mean
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins
Tour de France 2010: Pictures
Tour team presentation, Rotterdam
Tour teams take to the cobbles: Photo special
I pitched a top-end all-road bike against a top-end gravel bike, here's what I found
'The line was 5 metres too far' - Tadej Pogačar reacts to Amstel Gold Race second place
