Mark Cavendish was again emotional and reflective as the hours counted down to the start of what will be his final Tour de France and his final chance to win a 35th sprint stage.
Last year in Bilbao, the 39-year-old Manxman believed the end of his career was near and wore his heart on his sleeve as the significance of retirement grew. Then the Astana Qazaqstan rider crashed out of the Tour, but quickly committed to racing on in 2024 and returning one last time to the Tour de France.
