“Not Over Yet” – 38-Year-Old Pro Cyclist Postpones Retirement in Pursuit of Record-Breaking 35th Tour de France Stage Victory

Mark Cavendish, the 38-year-old cyclist, called off his retirement to go for a record 35th victory at the Tour De France. The Tour de France race is one of the prestigious races. Most cyclists work very hard to get a hold of this title. Mark announced his retirement last year after he broke his collarbone.

However, to the surprise of everyone, he called off his retirement. Mark would like to use this opportunity to go past Eddie Merckx’s 34 titles. The legend also confirmed that he will ride with Astana Qazaqstan in 2024.

Mark Cavendish-the Comeback King

Mark’s dream of winning back-to-back Tour De France titles came to an abrupt end. He broke his collarbone after a heavy fall in the month of July. The abrupt fall left him tied at 34 races with the Belgian Legend Eddie Merckx. However, Mark announced his retirement at the end of 2023 at an emotional press conference at the Giro d’Italia. But after crashing out of the race, the star changed his plans and decided to carry on for one more year.

While speaking to Eurosport, Mark shared his side of the story:

“The first thing Vino [Astana boss Alexander Vinokourov] said to me when I crashed out in France was ‘why don’t you do another year?’,” Cavendish said in a video on social media.“I was ready, I was at peace, but the more I’ve ridden this summer… I just loving riding my bike.“I spoke to the kids and I said, ‘what should Dad do?’ And they said, ‘carry on’. So here we are, just one more year, hey!”

Cavendish nearly missed the win during the month of July because of a technical issue. This allowed Jasper Philipsen to overtake him on the 7th day of the race. However, on the next day, Mark crashed out of the race and broke his collarbone. His coach expressed his thoughts regarding the race:

“There is no secret that the Tour de France and a stage win there was the main goal for Mark,” said Vinokurov.

In a tweet, even the Astana Qazaqstan team signified the same sentiments quoting,

“It’s not over yet”

“On Stage 7 he was very close to breaking his historical record. However, a heavy crash a day later crossed out all the plans of both the rider and the team. I believe that a true champion should not end his career this way.”

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A True Champion of the Modern Era

The 38- year-old cyclist is one of the modern greats. After spending 17 years in the pro peloton, we consider Cavendish as the greatest sprinter of all time. He has won many awards in his cycling career, but he aims for the 35th Tour de France Title.

It’s difficult to make a comeback after such an injury. However, Mark is all set to win his comeback race. Will Mark be able to win his 35th title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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