Mark Cavendish is coaching in Greece together with his coach Vasilis Anastopoulos as he prepares to return to racing on the Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye that begins in Antalya on Sunday.
The Manxman has not raced since falling unwell at Milano-Torino on March 13 however seems motivated to get his last season again on observe in Turkey after which the Tour de Hongrie in early May. The Tour of Türkiye listed Cavendish within the Astana Qazaqstan line-up, whereas Cavendish revealed he would experience the Tour de Hongrie as an alternative of the Giro d’Italia in a video.
A stage victory within the Tour de France and the stage win file stays the final word objective of the season for Cavendish. However Astana Qazaqstan desperately additionally want to attain rating factors if they’re to defend their place amongst the 18 WorldTour for 2026-2028.
Cavendish will flip 39 on May 21 however appears motivated to endure in coaching and racing. According to a collection of posts on Instagram, he has combined rides within the hills close to Greece with motor pacing work behind a scooter pushed by Anastopoulos. Cavendish spent an analogous spell in Greece again in 2021 earlier than occurring to win 4 levels on the Tour de France.
Anastopoulos joined Astana Qazaqstan as Cavendish strengthened his dash crew throughout the Kazakhstan crew. Mark Renshaw has a extra vital position as directeur sportif and Michael Mørkøv moved from Soudal-QuickStep as his trusted lead out man.
Cavendish introduced his retirement through the 2023 Giro d’Italia however modified his thoughts after crashing out of the Tour de France only a day after ending second within the dash in Bordeaux. He has raced for 17 seasons, successful 163 races together with Milan-San Remo and the world highway race title in Copenhagen in 2011 however was eager to race on for a last season and a last Tour de France.
“Sprinting just isn’t an dependancy to me, in no way. Racing is, using my bike is, however sprinting undoubtedly not,” he stated in a latest video interview with Road Code, the video platform created by the Velon groups.
“In a dash I’m okay however earlier than could be fairly terrified. It’s undoubtedly not an dependancy. It’s what I do, it is how I’m constructed. I can dash and it served me fairly properly in bike races. I can’t actually complain.”
“I like sprinting as a result of it isn’t nearly what number of watts you may put by way of a pedal.
“Sprinting holds onto that final little bit of ways that’s left. It’s about working it out, taking part in a sport of chess, understanding your opponents and the situations and the end. It’s about placing all of it collectively and understanding one of the simplest ways to plan to win. You can change the way you win and I like that.
“Everything is concentrated on the race; there isn’t any actual concern, no actual pleasure, no actual emotion. It’s fairly methodical.”
Cavendish began the 2024 season properly with a stage win in his first race of the 12 months, the Tour Colombia, however then was slowed by sickness.
The British sprinter took half within the eight-day Tour of Türkiye in 2023, when the race had an early October date, as he returned to racing after his crash and damaged collarbone within the Tour de France.
Astana Qazaqstan is one among 4 WorldTour groups within the 2.HC, 1,253km race, which begins in Antalya on Sunday, April twenty first and finishes per week later in Istanbul.
Bora-Hansgrohe, Alpecin-Deceuninck and DSM-Firmenich are the opposite three WorldTour groups taking part. Other sprinters on the beginning listing embrace Sam Welsford and Danny Van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), Fabio Jakobsen (Dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Aaron Gate (Burgos-BH).
