Mark Cavendish secures ANOTHER stage win on the Tour de France as his exceptional return to type continues with the British star now inside two victories of the all-time file held by Belgian legend Eddy Merckx
- Mark Cavendish received his thirty second Tour de France stage victory on Thursday
- The 36-year-old out-sprinted the peloton to win stage six in type
- It’s his second stage win this week and a 3rd at Chateauroux, taking him inside two of Eddy Merckx’s all-time file of 34
Just like 13 years in the past, each fingers instinctively shot as much as his head. Just like earlier than, the face of Mark Cavendish juggled pleasure and disbelief.
Unlike again then, although, no-one else needs to be shocked by this newest fairytale end.
Not on the roads of Chateauroux, the place Cavendish stays unbeaten since his first Tour stage win in 2008. Not when a sliver of house opened up on Thursday and the Manx rider made his transfer. Not even after he turned 36 in May.
Mark Cavendish (above) celebrates his second stage win of this year’s Tour de France
It was typical Cavendish within the closing dash of stage six. The Deceuninck-Quick-Step rider picked off Jasper Philipsen and Nacer Bouhanni to win by three-quarters of a size.
It’s his second stage win this week and a 3rd at Chateauroux, taking him inside two of Eddy Merckx’s all-time file of 34.
‘Don’t say the identify,’ Cavendish mentioned afterwards. ‘I am not thinking about anything.
‘If it was my first or my 32nd, I have just won a stage of the Tour de France. That is what people ride their whole lives for.
‘I’m very, very completely happy. If I’m adequate to win one other 50 or I by no means win once more, so be it.’
The 36-year-old out-sprinted the peloton to win stage six in type on Thursday
A handful of dash alternatives stay over the approaching weeks, not least on the Champs-Elysees. He couldn’t break the file, might he, after his latest battles with harm and sickness?
At the top of a 160.6km experience from Tours, Cavendish was led out by team-mate Michael Morkov earlier than shifting to the entrance and strengthening his grip on the inexperienced jersey.
‘Wow,’ he added. ‘It’s 10 years since I final received right here. It’s fairly particular.
It is the third time he has received in Chateauroux, together with his first Tour win in 2008 and 2011
‘You see the guys, how much they pull. You’ve obtained the world champion Julian Alaphilippe simply burying himself in the previous few kilometres. It’s one thing particular. I’m buzzing.’
Cavendish’s win meant no large adjustments within the race for the yellow jersey. Mathieu van der Poel nonetheless leads defending champion Tadej Pogacar by eight seconds, with Geraint Thomas twelfth.
Meanwhile, the spectator who allegedly precipitated the pile-up which left 21 riders injured will escape authorized or prison prices. The Tour de France withdrew their criticism after the lady was arrested on Wednesday.
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