Giro d’Italia 2023: ‘Mark Cavendish is NOT a happy man!’ – Adam Blythe reports on ‘arguments’ at finish

Eurosport reporter Adam Blythe was on hand to relay the scene after the finish of Stage 17 as Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) appeared to get into an argument as the drama continued at the Giro d’Italia.

It may have been a largely uneventful day with a long, patient build-up to the inevitable bunch sprint finish climax, but the fans were eventually given the finale they were after – and then a minor row seemed to ensue just beyond the finish line.

Cavendish, who told Eurosport it was “just a sprint” in a very relaxed manner prior to the start of the day’s racing, faded in the final stages as Jonathan Milan (Bahrain-Victorious) came in second behind Dainese.

The 38-year-old Brit then appeared to engage in an animated discussion with some fellow riders after the finish as Blythe, fresh off his stint on the Eurosport motorbike, gave the viewers the full story as he saw it in real time.

“You can see there are a couple of arguments,” Blythe said as he gestured behind him towards Cavendish, who could be seen in the TV shot in the background. The suggestion was that he might have been boxed out by Filippo Fiorelli.

“But we do not want to get involved with this. There are arguments and people getting in the way.

“It was such a technical finale, there is always going to be a little bit of a kick-off here in the finale of the Giro today.

“You can see that Mark Cavendish is NOT a happy man today. He has missed out on a sprint opportunity, and it looks to be something with arguments happening in the middle of the peloton.

“That was a great stage finish and a great win by Dainese there, but he left it until the last minute with a perfect finish. What a sprint it was.

“It was like a drag race with Michael Matthews going first and Milan coming from nowhere. Dainese waited patiently, a great lead-out, and he jumped in just at the line.”

The British star has enjoyed a stellar 17-year career, which includes 53 Grand Tour stage wins, a world road race title in 2011 and an Olympic silver medal in the velodrome.

“He is the GOAT. He’s the greatest sprinter of all time for me and a great friend,” Blythe said on the ground at the Giro.

“I think it’s his time to stop now, he’s been so successful. One year of his career would make a whole rider’s career, never mind all the other wins he’s had.

“He’s just a phenomenon and one of a kind. I don’t think we’ll see anyone like Cavendish in the years to come.”

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