Mark Cavendish earns Tour de France immortality with 35th stage win

Mark Cavendish has achieved victory a total of 165 times since first gaining popularity in the years 2004-2005.

Mark Cavendish was motivated and fated to surpass the Tour de France stage victories record.

During the previous year, he planned on participating in his 14th and last Tour. However, his desire to break the record pushed him to postpone his retirement and return for another season.

Known as the greatest sprinter in cycling history, the Manx Missile claimed his long-awaited prize with his 35th win in the prestigious race at Saint Vulbas on Wednesday, marking his 165th career victory.

He will be forever remembered in the race's history as he has broken Eddy Merckx's record to become the race's all-time greatest stage winner.

In a recent social media post, Belgian cyclist Merckx, a five-time Tour de France winner from 1969-1974, expressed his congratulations to Mark for his remarkable achievement. Merckx acknowledged Mark's impressive performance and referred to him as a talented individual who surpassed his own record in the Tour.

Cavendish shared the record for the most Tour stage victories with Merckx after achieving his 34th stage win in 2021.

At 39 years old, reaching a number that was once thought to be impossible for any current rider, especially a sprinter, shows how long and successful his career has been.

"The Tour de France goes beyond just cycling. I am a big fan and I enjoy racing in the Tour," stated Cavendish.

"Every tiny aspect has been dedicated to this day."

Cavendish's strong connection to the Tour started on 7 July 2008 in Chateauroux, with the first of four stage wins in that year's race.

The moment that really pushed him into the spotlight was in 2005, when he won a world title in the madison event on the track. This success came after he started training at the British Cycling academy, which was just starting up at the time and run by Rod Ellingworth.

However, his skill in predicting where the race will end, quickly maneuvering into a good position, and then speeding up rapidly has made him a strong competitor in the Tour de France.

"Cavendish Improves With Age Like Fine Wine"

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Mark Cavendish is the second most senior cyclist to claim victory in a stage of the Tour de France.

After tying with Belgian icon Merckx in 2021, Cavendish has faced challenges such as a robbery at knifepoint and the uncertainty of securing a spot on a new team at 37 years old.

Additionally, he experienced the unfortunate setback of exiting the Tour due to a broken collarbone last year. Furthermore, injuries and feelings of depression played a role in his inability to secure a victory at any point in 2019 and 2020.

Now, in his 15th Tour, he continues to show the same level of skill and confidence as he did during his dominant years from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he secured a total of 23 stage victories, four of which were on the famous Champs-Elysees.

In his 2023 Netflix movie titled "Mark Cavendish: Never Enough," Cavendish stated that cycling wouldn't be the same without the Tour de France.

With 35 wins in 215 stages completed, he has a success rate of close to 17 percent.

It is quite impressive for a cyclist who has been known for being outspoken and hot-tempered by former colleagues - and even labeled as difficult to work with by Vasilis Anastopoulos, who previously worked with Cavendish at Quick Step and now leads performance at his current team, Astana Qazaqstan.

Cavendish has praised the Greek coach for revitalizing his career while they were teammates at Quick Step in Belgium. He acknowledged the coach's key role in his achievements at the Tour and Giro d'Italia in 2021 and 2022.

Mark Renshaw, who used to help Cavendish during races, is now working as a sporting director for Astana.

"He is truly exceptional. He is like a fine wine, improving more and more over time," Renshaw commented about the sprinter.

The team had complete trust in him throughout the entire year. We adjusted the team to support him, and he showed great dedication.

I'm not sure how long he's been spending time with his family, but this year it hasn't been much. This level of dedication is what is required.

More Than Just Cycling: A Modern Tale

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Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh were teammates on Team Sky.

It was impressive to see the large group of cyclists excitedly greeting Cavendish at the end of Wednesday's 177.4 km journey from Saint Jean de Maurienne to Saint Vulbas.

However, when he was facing difficulties in the hot weather during a challenging first stage with more than 3,600 meters of climbing, there were concerns whether achieving this historic victory would be feasible.

An emotional Anastopoulos expressed, "We stayed in Greece for three months starting on 2 April, filled with hope every day. At the beginning of the Tour, he suffered from heat stroke which made us doubt ourselves, but he managed to overcome it."

"He showed incredible strength and determination in the final moments, demonstrating the same resilience and skill as the Cavendish we know."

Race champion Tadej Pogacar expressed his amazement at the end of the race, praising Mark's 35th victory. Pogacar shared that he admired Mark when watching him on TV and that he was a fan of his. Mark jokingly told Pogacar not to break his record, to which Pogacar responded that he doesn't believe he can surpass him.

During an interview on ITV 4, Peter Kennaugh, who used to ride on the same team with Cavendish at Team Sky, shared some very positive words about his long-time friend from childhood.

Kennaugh expressed a strong belief in remembering to have faith in Mark Cavendish. He emphasized the importance of recognizing Mark's skill and talent beyond just being a sprinter.

The accomplishments he has made will not only be remembered in the world of cycling but also in the larger world of sports. It is truly amazing.

"He finds motivation in the doubters who have been there throughout his entire career, pushing him to prove them wrong every step of the way."

This went beyond just contemporary biking and daily sights. It was about enthusiasm, commitment, and his deep affection for the sport and determination to persevere.