'I was seeing stars' - Mark Cavendish battles heat sickness to survive Tour de France stage one
Sprinter struggles in Tuscan hills, but says he "kind of had it all under control"


"How long does he have?" asks one fan to another, waiting outside the Astana-Qazaqstan team bus on the promenade in Rimini. "25 minutes have gone," the second replies. "I think he's going to make it."
Mark Cavendish was not expected to be the story on stage one of the Tour de France. But after dropping from the peloton early, appearing to vomit, and lagging deeper behind on time, a worry began to sprout.
Around a hundred people gathered by the Brit’s sky blue bus after the stage. They watched the minutes tick by on their phones, the anxiety growing as each one went by. Finally, over 39 minutes after the winner, Romain Bardet, crossed the line, a roar came from the masses down by the finish line.
Filing through them, still on his teammate Michael Mørkøv's wheel, Cavendish came trundling towards safety. He had endured almost six hours in the saddle, and staved off the time cut with 10 minutes to spare.
The Brit said nothing when he put his feet on the floor. Wearing a dazed expression – his mouth ajar and bottom lip hanging low – Cavendish calmly rested his bike against the bus, and puffed his cheeks out. He then pushed the curtain in the doorway aside, and disappeared up the stairs.
The crowd noise fell to a curious hum. Five minutes later, the curtain swung back again, and summoned by cries of his name, the sprinter stepped back outside. His first words revealed the reason for his suffering.
"It was the heat," Cavendish told the press. "Look, we know what we're doing. It's not easy. Like I always say, if you've got my body type now, don't start cycling, because those days have gone. But we know what we're doing. It doesn't mean it's easy. We're not riding round talking."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Throughout the stage – a dizzying 200km hack through the Tuscan hills – Cavendish was kept company at the back of the race by teammates Mørkøv, Cees Bol and Bram Welten. The trio tried their best to keep their sprinter cool in the 35C heat, pouring water into his helmet, and stuffing ice cubes down the back of his jersey.
How had Cavendish found the day? "That was so hard," he said. "That was so hard, but we had a plan and we stuck to it. Ok, I would have liked to have stayed one more climb with the peloton, but I was seeing stars, really. It was so hot. We're happy we made it through. We're ok."
While his fans feared the worst, Cavendish counted back the minutes he would be granted to finish the stage. Had he missed the time limit, he might have been turfed off his farewell Tour.
"You can work out what the front guys are going to do, then you work out what you can do, what you need to do to get in the time limit," he explained. "[It] isn't really to try and put people out of the race. It’s there when people are sick and injured, to stop them carrying on. Obviously it makes a nice story when you’re close to it. Like I said, we kind of had it all under control."
The sighs of relief beside the team bus, however, suggested his fans weren't always so convinced. One day down, "onto stage two," Cavendish said. For now, the dream of a record-breaking 35th stage win lives on.
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
Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism, which he passed with distinction. Since 2020, he has been the host of The TT Podcast, offering race analysis and rider interviews.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.
-
UPDATE: 'We are on, until we are not' - Mid South Gravel thrown into chaos as area wildfires force evacuations
Local authorities and race officials continue to monitor the situation, urging participants and spectators to stay informed and prioritise safety
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
'It was a bit worse than this but the outcome was the same’ - Brutal day out at Paris-Nice leaves Mads Pedersen reminiscing about World Championships win
Former world champion reflects on a hard day of racing on the Côte d'Azur
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Why is Jonas Vingegaard wearing a special helmet at Paris-Nice?
The two-time Tour de France winner’s new helmet is part of a sponsorship deal that will see him wear the lid throughout the year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'When he starts his Tour preparation, we’ll then see Jonas 2.0' - Jonas Vingegaard heads to Paris-Nice almost at full strength, coach says
Tim Heemskerk says the Danish star is not interested in outside noise as he attempts second stage race win of the year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Stage ten of this year's Tour de France will be a 'crazy, crazy day' - Meet one of the people behind the biggest bike races in the world
Yannick Talabardon, Paris-Nice's assistant race director at ASO, takes on the Cycling Weekly Q&A
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tour de France 2026 to start with Barcelona team time trial
TTT will use new timing rules first seen in 2023 Paris-Nice
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'There's no bull****, that's what I've always liked' - Geraint Thomas's first BC coach Rod Ellingworth on the retiring Welshman
The 2018 Tour de France winner will step away from professional cycling at the end of the season
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I never really had a Plan B' - Dan Martin on his cycling career and getting into running after retirement
The two-time Tour de France stage winner takes part in Cycling Weekly’s Q&A
By Tom Thewlis Published