Mark Cavendish wants 'one more year' to cement status as greatest sprinter ever – but will anyone sign him?

Mark Cavendish wants “one more year” to cement his status as the greatest sprinter of all time, according to Adam Blythe, who also conceded that there were «lots of reasons» why the British sprint legend will struggle to find a new team for 2023. Cavendish is without a contract for next season after being told he is no longer part of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s plans. Ad He won four stages at the 2021 Tour de France to equal Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 wins.

However, he was denied on the Champs-Elysees to claim the record outright and so a new debate sprung up: will Cavendish win No. 35? Vuelta a EspañaEvenepoel and Alaphilippe named in strong Quick-Step team for Vuelta15/08/2022 AT 10:18 Those hopes began to fade when he was snubbed from this year’s Tour as Fabio Jakobsen was named as Quick-Step’s sprinter, and continue to grow more distant with no obvious suitor stepping forward to keep the Manx Missile's sprint dream alive. French ProTeam B&B Hotels-KTM seem the most likely destination at present, with team boss Jerome Pineau labelling their chances of signing him at “50-50”.

«Yes, we are discussing,» Pineau told Le Telegramme on Monday. «He is someone I like very much. I would love to have him come to us but it's quite complicated.

»Cavendish is a cycling legend. There is the sport but not only that… It's like negotiating for a footballer. He wants to come to us, but he doesn't want to retire here either.

If he comes, it will be to win. We want to win together. Today, for his recruitment, let's say it's 50-50." Blythe and Dan Lloyd discussed Cavendish’s future on The Breakaway during Eurosport's La Vuelta coverage, with the pair admitting that there is no clear team that would accommodate the 37-year-old.