Mark Cavendish made cycling history on Wednesday, winning a record-breaking 35th stage at the Tour de France. The 39-year-old has now surpassed legendary cyclist Eddy Merckx after winning a chaotic sprint finish at the end of the 177.4 kilometer fifth stage from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas.
Breaking Merckx’s record, who last raced in the Tour de France 49 years ago, has seemed almost impossible for any cyclist, even Cavendish. The Astana-Qazaqstan rider was mobbed by fellow riders after the finish line as he celebrated making history, a moment which further underlines his standing as the best sprinter of all time.
“I’m in a little bit of disbelief. I put a big gamble on this year to make sure we are good here at the Tour de France,” an emotional Cavendish told ITV after the win. “We’ve done it. We worked out exactly what we wanted to do. How we built the team, what we’ve done with my equipment. Every little detail has been put towards specifically today.”
Cavendish had reversed his decision to retire from the sport after crashing out of the 2023 Tour de France and this year is likely to be his last appearance at the race. His participation in this year’s Tour de France seemed in jeopardy during the first stage, though, as television cameras caught him vomiting on his bike, reportedly struggling from heat exhaustion. He was able to recover, though, and has now written his name in the history books.
