Giro d’Italia 2022: How many stages can Quick-Step rider Mark Cavendish win at this year's Italian Grand Tour?

Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step — Alpha Vinyl) added a 16th stage win at the Giro d’Italia to his palmares after sprinting to success on Stage 3 of the Italian Grand Tour, but how many more could he win this year? The Manx Missile held off Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) and Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) — who finished second and third respectively — after a 201km ride from Kaposvar to Balatonfured. Ad/> Cavendish's participation at the Giro has largely been seen as a signal that the 36-year-old will not be making a 14th appearance at the Tour de France.

However, an impressive showing in Italy could see Cavendish emerge as Quick-Step's pre-eminent sprinter and force team manager Patrick Lefevere to reassess his plan for the Tour, which — the consensus states — currently has Fabio Jakobsen as Quick-Step's lead sprinter. Giro d'ItaliaContador expects 'irretrievable gaps' on Etna as Giro GC battle hots up4 HOURS AGO There are five stages left that present opportunities for the sprinters — and for Cavendish to apply further weight to the growing argument that he should be Tour-bound.

How many stages could Cavendish win at the 2022 Giro d’Italia? Could and will are two different things. However, there are — or were — seven stages at the 2022 Giro d’Italia that will more than likely culminate in sprint finishes.

Two — the first and third — have already come and gone. Therefore, Cavendish has five opportunities to add to his haul.

How many sprint stages are left in this year’s Giro? Stages 5, 6, 11, 13 and 18 represent opportunities — to varying degrees — for sprinters to add to their palmares. Here are the stage profiles: Stage 5 | Catania – Messina (174km) The second of the Giro’s two stages in Sicily could culminate in a