Mark Cavendish is a ‘real threat’ for Tour de France record after Giro d’Italia win – Jens Voigt

Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) has been backed to threaten the Tour de France stage record this summer by Eurosport expert Jens Voigt – just days after the German had ruled it out.

“You can never underestimate how much these sprinters just operate on confidence,” said Voigt on The Breakaway after Cavendish’s 162nd career win on the road.

“Cav does everything spectacularly – he crashes spectacularly, he wins spectacularly. It’s never normal. He’s always on the extreme.”

On his earlier claim that Cavendish would be marooned on 34 wins at the Tour, Voigt said: “I have to eat my own words. Cav is actually a real threat for the Tour and the record.

“Look at the gap he put into everyone else. These were no terrible bike riders he just beat, it was a really superb win like he was back in his best days. He is up for the Tour. Everything is possible now.”

‘I didn’t expect him to win a stage’ – Cavendish defies again

Prior to his win in Rome, Cavendish had not tasted victory since June 2022 as he struggled to compete with younger sprinters in the peloton.

His move to Astana Qazaqstan in January came about after he departed Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, where he won four more stages at the Tour de France in 2021 to tie Merckx’s all-time record, only to be snubbed the following year.

Cavendish’s victory on Sunday means he now boasts 54 wins across the three Grand Tours, with only Merckx (64) and Mario Cipollini (57) ahead of him in the all-time standings.

“I didn’t expect the way he was going in this Giro to win a stage. This is by far his best performance of the Giro. This is pure Mark Cavendish, this is what he does,” said 12-time Giro and Tour stage winner Robbie McEwen.

“And when it needs to go right, the last possible chance, that’s when he comes to the fore. That’s when he does his best work.”

Cavendish has spent 17 years in the pro peloton and claimed the points classification at all three Grand Tours, notably at the Tour de France in 2011 and 2021.

“What can you say about that man? 38 now and struggling through this whole Giro d’Italia with crashes, getting himself over all the mountains,” added Dan Lloyd.

“I half expected him to go home after 10 days but that’s the reason why he didn’t. He’s won that final stage by about five or six bike lengths in the end. He made it look easy.”

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