'Bitterly disappointed' - Mark Cavendish laments mechanical issues as Adam Blythe and The Breakaway keep the faith

Mark Cavendish launched a kick which looked set to propel him to Tour de France win No. 35, but a mechanical issue and power of Jasper Philipsen denied him victory in Bordeaux. The Manxman went wheel surfing in the final kilometre and appeared to time his run to perfection, as a gap opened up on the right-hand side of the road.

Ad Just as he looked set to hit top speed, he sat back down in the saddle. Adam Blythe on The Breakaway picked it out immediately, suggesting Cavendish had suffered a gearing issue. Tour de France‘I am bitterly disappointed, majorly disappointed’ — Cavendish laments gearing issue2 HOURS AGO Whatever the problem, it cost him valuable momentum and Philipsen sailed past to claim his third stage of the 2023 Tour.

Cavendish confirmed the problem was slipping gears, and lamented the issue. “I was in quite a good position,” Cavendish told Eurosport. “It looked like I was far back but it was a long straight.

“I was on the right wheels, I kicked a little earlier than I’d liked, but it was about the same as in 2010, but once I kicked my gears jumped from 11 to 12 and I had to sit down. “Cadence was whacked up, gears went back to 11, and then tried to stand up again and back to the 12, but there was nothing I could do. “I am bitterly disappointed, majorly disappointed, but we will keep on trying.” Blythe expanded on the issue and likened it to a car changing gears at high speed.