Gifted Markson
Mark Cavendish made history today by securing his 35th stage win in the Tour de France, surpassing the legendary Eddy Merckx’s long-standing record.
The 39-year-old sprinted to victory in Saint Vulbas during stage five of the race, achieving this milestone in what is expected to be his final Tour.
Cavendish’s triumph comes after a dramatic return to the Tour, having delayed his retirement to chase this record.
Just a year ago, he faced a race-ending crash on stage eight, narrowly missing out on breaking the record when he was bested by Jasper Philipsen.
Reflecting on his historic win, Cavendish told ITV, “You sprint and go as hard as you can until you get to the finish and maybe your life changes if you cross that line first, maybe it doesn’t if you don’t. That is the nature of this race and what makes it so beautiful.”
Since 2021, Cavendish had been tied with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx at 34 stage wins.
Motivated by the desire to hold the record outright, Cavendish postponed his retirement, demonstrating once again why he is hailed as the best sprinter of all time.
Today, his perseverance paid off, etching his name in cycling history with this monumental achievement.