Mark Cavendish says 'special' Tour de France is 'above the sport' and opens up about his mindset

Mark Cavendish has described the Tour de France as “above the sport” as he underlined how special the event is. Cavendish has a unique relationship with the Tour, having won a record-equalling 34 stages at cycling's most prestigious race, the same number as Belgian great Eddy Merckx. Ad He is expected to try and beat the record this year with new team Astana Qazaqstan, having been overlooked by Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl to race in the Tour last season.

Tour of OmanCavendish 'super relaxed' as Astana Qazaqstan adventure begins11/02/2023 AT 11:00 “It's crazy because you think you know cycling,” Cavendish told Eurosport pundit Adam Blythe about the Tour's significance. “I explain to everybody who's never been at the Tour de France, you have amateurs that think they know cycling. But they can't have an idea of what it's like to ride as a professional, it’s another level.

“Then you have to go from professional to WorldTour, it’s an obvious step up. But you haven't just got to step up to the Tour de France, it’s above the sport “You've got the 170 best bike riders in the world. None of them are really doing their first Grand Tour, none of them are really coming back from injury, none of them are using the Grand Tour to prepare.

“The consequences of winning and losing that race are so much greater than anything. So you have the 170 best, all at the peak of their fitness for that year, all with not just the cycling world’s eyes on them, but the world’s eyes looking at them. It’s pretty nuts, not even just in the racing.