Mark Cavendish etched his name into Tour de France history on Wednesday by securing his 35th stage win at the age of 39. The British cyclist surpassed Eddy Merckx's long-standing record, set in 1975, during the fifth stage of this year's race near the Alps, having matched it in 2021.
"This is my 15th Tour de France, and it's a tremendous effort to be here each year, maintaining my fitness," Cavendish remarked at the finish line. "I'm fortunate to be surrounded by remarkable individuals to whom I owe a great deal," added Cavendish, who debuted in the Tour in 2008 and became the world road race champion three years later. As the peloton traversed the verdant Rhone valley, with vineyards and charming villages lining the river, his Astana team dominated the front right of the peloton amid light rain. A lengthy straight stretch in the small village of Saint-Vulbas facilitated the formation of a lead-out train, which the 'Manx Missile' expertly navigated to surge ahead of Belgian Jasper Philipsen, the reigning sprint points green jersey winner.
Race leader and two-time former winner Tadej Pogacar narrowly avoided hitting a traffic island, triggering a cascade of movement and a pile-up of bikes and riders behind him. However, the Slovenian chose to celebrate Cavendish's achievement post-race. "I used to watch him on TV, and we adored him," Pogacar said. "Just now, I saw him and he jokingly told me not to break his record," he added. Pogacar, 25, already boasts 12 stage wins and continues to lead the overall standings, wearing the full yellow kit, with Belgian Remco Evenepoel remaining in second place, 45 seconds behind, and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard in third, 50 seconds off the pace. Biniam Girmay, who made history as the first black African to win a Tour stage in Turin on Sunday, claimed the sprint points green jersey on Wednesday after finishing ninth in Saint-Vulbas. Cavendish took a moment to acknowledge the Eritrean sprinter's achievement.
"Biniam set a record in Turin, and now I've done the same here," Cavendish noted. "So much effort goes into this, and even a single stage can define your career," he added. In 2023, Cavendish's Tour ended prematurely in an ambulance following a routine crash that derailed his plans. Two seasons ago, when he equalled Merckx's stage tally in Carcassonne, it marked his fourth win in that edition racing for Quick Step after enduring years of struggle due to Epstein Barr virus. He missed out on a 35th stage on the Champs Elysees, finishing second, and was subsequently omitted from the 2022 Tour roster as Quick Step selected Fabio Jakobsen, a decade his junior. Cavendish joined Astana in 2023 and was later convinced to extend his contract by one year, having contemplated retirement.
