Sprint king Cavendish has to wait - Will the record mark fall?

Sprinter king Mark Cavendish is one stage win away from finally surpassing legend Eddy Merckx in the Tour de France.

Tour de France 2023: First two chances for Cavendish gone

The 38-year-old Brit missed his first two chances to take his 35th stage win in his 14th and final participation. However, there are still opportunities on several flat stages before Paris. His team boss Alexander Vinokourov, once the controversial man in the peloton, urges calm.

Its shapeWith sixth place in Bayonne and fifth place in Nogaro, Cavendish has shown that he is competitive. Above all, the former world champion was measured at the top speed of 73.3 km/h on the last kilometre of the third stage. No one was that fast. "That gives me confidence for the next few days," said Cavendish, especially as he can also regenerate well after difficult mountain stages. He had to wait until the last day of the Giro d'Italia before he was on hand in Rome to celebrate his 162nd career victory.

His team: Everything at the Astana team is focussed on King Cav. And his team boss Alexander Vinokourov urges him to remain calm: "I don't want to put him under any more stress than he already is. He feels comfortable in the team and his stage win at the Giro showed that his motivation is high. He should remain calm. There are still some possibilities," the Kazakh told the Spanish sports newspaper "Marca".

>> Tour de France 2023: This is the route

His helperMark Renshaw: Cavendish has brought an old acquaintance into the team as an advisor. For nine years, the Australian acted as a rider for the super sprinter and celebrated numerous successes with him. "That helps a lot. Not only in the final, but also in the last 25 kilometres. What he says is also important for the boys," emphasised Cavendish.

His chancesIn the best-case scenario, there could still be five bunch sprints, with the next opportunity coming on Friday in Bordeaux on stage seven. Sprint finishes are also possible in Moulins (stage 11), Bourg-en-Bresse (18th), Poligny (19th) and above all Paris (21st).

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