Mark Cavendish had to settle for 22nd in the chaotic opening stage at the UAE Tour on Monday, but he could view the outing as a passing frustration rather than an urgent cause for alarm. Every sprinter wants to win at every available opportunity, of course, but since joining Astana Qazaqstan a year ago, Cavendish has the consolation of knowing that he won’t be short of chances to shine this season.
After years of fighting to carve out space for himself at QuickStep, Bahrain and even in the latter part of his time at Dimension Data, Cavendish is enjoying the relative luxury of a clearly defined racing schedule and a guaranteed slot at the Tour de France.
