'In the end, what can you do?' — Mark Cavendish misses out on Giro d'Italia stage five sprint
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sprinter distanced by peloton on climb


There cannot be many more frustrating sights for a sprinter than watching the race go up the road on a day that is likely to finish in a bunch gallop.
That's the position that Mark Cavendish found himself in on stage five of the Giro d'Italia, as the collective work of Alpecin-Fenix, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert and Israel-Premier Tech put the fast man under pressure on the day's only categorised climb.
The Portella Mandrazzi was perfectly positioned to make the day a hard one, but still ensure a bunch sprint would occur in Messina. However, it was to be without two of the pelotons fastest sprinters, in Cavendish and Caleb Ewan.
The three previously-mentioned teams knew they would have more chance of winning stage five with Mathieu van der Poel, Biniam Girmay, and Giacomo Nizzolo respectively if they got rid of some of their rivals. For a while it even looked like they would get rid of Arnaud Démare, who went on to win, but he did manage to get back on.
Despite the hard work of his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team, six of whom dropped back to try and pace Cavendish back to the bunch, it was not to be on Wednesday.
While the gap was only a couple of minutes over the top of the crucial climb, they could not make the jump to the peloton as the pace was kept high on the descent and the flat road after. The Manxman eventually came into the finish 11:57 behind Démare, who proved himself to be the best of the remaining sprinters.
It meant that the Quick-Step rider was unable to have a go at the second opportunity for the fast men, but he will have another go on Thursday, that is for sure.
After the finish, he appeared to be quite sanguine about the whole thing, while perhaps thinking very carefully about what he said.
"What can you do? You’ve just got to try," Cavendish said. "It’s like different situations, if they happen, you probably come back. For instance, we were 30 seconds behind FDJ [Démare's team], and Caleb was behind us. Ironically, if all of us were together we would probably get back.
"Barrages are different, you have a better chance of getting back on. You’ve just to give everything, the boys gave everything, I’m so proud of them so proud. In the end, what can you do. It’s alright, we tried."
One gets the sense it's never alright to miss out on a chance, on a win, for someone as fiercely competitive as Cavendish, but he is too professional to show too much anguish at the situation. It is just bike racing after all.
"You’re always disappointed," he said. "But we knew that was going to happen today, it was a bonus to sprint today, but we had to try. We’ll try again."
Try again Quick-Step will, starting with Thursday's slightly easier stage to Scalea, on the Italian mainland.
Thank you for reading 5 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
Hello, I'm Cycling Weekly's digital staff writer. I like pretending to be part of the great history of cycling writing, and acting like a pseudo-intellectual in general.
Before joining the team here I wrote for Procycling for almost two years, interviewing riders and writing about racing. My favourite event is Strade Bianche, but I haven't quite made it to the Piazza del Campo just yet.
Prior to covering the sport of cycling, I wrote about ecclesiastical matters for the Church Times and politics for Business Insider. I have degrees in history and journalism.
-
-
Five talking points from stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia
Our highlights from a stage where the GC contenders rolled in eight minutes behind the day's winner
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Giro d'Italia 2022 standings: Results from the 105th edition after stage 15
The latest standings from the 105th edition of the Giro d'Italia
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Giro d'Italia 2022 standings: Results from the 105th edition after stage 15
The latest standings from the 105th edition of the Giro d'Italia
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Giulio Ciccone storms to victory on Giro d'Italia stage 15
The untouchable Italian won the mountainous stage by over a minute
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Simon Yates wins stage 14 of the Giro d'Italia with late attack
The British rider picked up his second stage win of this year's race
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
'It's horrible for us. He is a great champion' — Team DSM react to Romain Bardet leaving Giro d'Italia
Frenchman forced to leave race after falling ill
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Hat trick of wins for Arnaud Démare after stage 13 sprint at the Giro d'Italia
Heartbreak for breakaway after it is caught within final kilometre
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Bad day for Bardet as illness rules Romain out of the Giro d'Italia
Frenchman was flying high in 4th on general classification
By Adam Becket • Published
-
The Giro's fastest ever leadout train goes by the name of 'Endless Love'
The big pink train ferries VIPs alongside the race, with riders waving back as it 'toots'
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Five talking points from stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 2022
It was a long, hot, and fast day from Parma to Genoa
By Adam Becket • Published