The emotional shout of “Go Mark!’ in several languages from contained in the Astana-Qazaqstan workforce was the primary signal that historical past was about to be made on the Tour de France on Wednesday afternoon.
I used to be stood exterior the workforce bus with a number of different media, watching the ultimate kilometres on our cellphones. But we have been a number of seconds behind the dwell French tv photographs on the bus and will think about what was taking place.
Then the shouts of encouragement grew to become even louder and much more emotional. Then they exploded in celebration when Mark Cavendish gained the dash in Saint-Vulbas.
The Manxman had gained his thirty fifth stage on the Tour de France, to go one higher than Eddy Merckx. It was a second of biking historical past, one that usually appeared prefer it would possibly by no means occur however one which Cavendish and everybody at Astana-Qazaqstan at all times believed in.
Everyone within the workforce bus roared in celebration and banged the roof and home windows. The bus’ horn rang out like church bells, telling everybody that they’d gained. ‘Project 35’ had been completed.
Team supervisor Alexander Vinokourov was the primary to return off the bus. He may hardly maintain again his feelings. He rapidly grabbed a motorbike to experience to the end space. He interrupted Cavendish’s tv interview to hug him and rejoice collectively.
Vinokourov and Cavendish have grow to be surprisingly shut within the final 18 months after the Kazakhstani supervisor invested and believed within the Manxman, when most different groups had written him off.
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On the day Cyclingnews revealed that Chinese carbon fibre producer XDS Carbon-Tech would make investments considerably within the workforce with the objective of making a ‘tremendous workforce’, Cavendish and Astana-Qazaqstan delivered. The stars aligned in a second of success and little doubt helped create the way forward for the workforce.
As Cavendish celebrated along with his teammates after which his household on the end line, different riders rode by and provided congratulations.
“To proceed to do what he does at his age – he is 39, and everybody says you get slower as you become older – he is confirmed that unsuitable, actually. It’s unbelievable what he does, and I’m tremendous completely happy for him,” Geraint Thomas stated.
The Astana-Qazaqstan race vehicles arrived subsequent, blowing their horns and shouting in celebration.
Vasilis Anastopoulos returned as Cavendish’s coach this season having beforehand labored with him at QuickStep when he was so profitable in 2021. Cavendish has spent extra time with him at races and at his Greek residence for particular coaching than he has spent at residence along with his household. Nobody is aware of what Cavendish has overcome, even in latest months, like Anastopoulos.
He was understandably in tears.
“You noticed right this moment why he’s a giant champion,” Anastopoulos stated.
“He’s 39 years outdated. Most of the blokes thought he wasn’t going to make it. He proved them unsuitable one time in 2021, after which he proved everyone unsuitable once more in 2024. He’s a phenomenon. I can inform you it was not a simple one, however we by no means stopped believing that this might come true.”
‘Project 35’ is accomplished however Anastopoulos, like Cavendish, remains to be hungry for extra success and extra feelings like right this moment.
“We’re not going to cease,” Anastopoulos stated.
“Tomorrow is one other likelihood. We wish to win as a lot as attainable. That’s why we can not cease. Our objective is to succeed in Nice and rejoice there. We need two or three extra wins earlier than he can cease.”
“He’s only a fantastic wine. He simply will get higher and higher”
Mark Renshaw hugged Anastopoulos and the opposite workers members after leaping out of the workforce. Stefano Zainini was a profitable sprinter throughout his personal profession however was overcome with emotion. He was the primary directeur sportif to work with Cavendish at Astana-Qazaqstan and at all times believed he may get again to his finest and win a Tour de France stage.
“He’s only a fantastic wine. He simply will get higher and higher,” Renshaw stated of Cavendish.
“The workforce had a lot confidence in him, and so they’ve had confidence all yr. Vino backed this undertaking, and we signed nice riders.
“We’ve modified the workforce to take care of him, to get him attainable to win and he has simply been mega dedicated. I do not know what number of days he is been along with his household, however this yr it is not many. That’s the sort of dedication you want as a motorbike rider.”
As Cavendish accomplished the stage winner’s podium ceremony and did a collection of interviews, different workforce autos and buses drove previous on their method to their lodges. Many stopped to high-five and congratulate the Astana-Qazaqstan workers. Everyone working behind the scenes in skilled biking groups is aware of how particular main victories, particularly historic victories, are. There was respect and shared happiness.
The crowds regularly lowered because the Astana-Qazaqstan bus waited for Cavendish to reach. Some of his teammates headed to their resort by automotive, and many of the media headed again to the Tour de France press centre.
I and some different journalists determined to attend to see Cavendish return. It felt the suitable factor to do. I’ve adopted a lot of Cavendish’s profession, from his Tour de France debut in 2007 in London, his Milan-San Remo victory in 2009 and lots of others since then. It appeared like a second to seize, to savour and to share.
An hour or so after the stage, everybody appeared down the highway in the direction of the end space, ready for Cavendish to reach.
We noticed his spouse Peta and their kids strolling in the direction of the bus, after which Cavendish joined them, beaming with happiness and pleasure.
“I’m so completely happy. I’m so completely happy for him, I’m completely happy for Vasilis (Anastopoulos), I’m completely happy for Vino, I’m completely happy for the entire individuals on this final couple of years that have gotten on board and dedicated the identical method that he has,” Peta informed Cyclingnews and the Cycling Podcast.
“On Monday, when everybody was saying: ‘Why has he come again? He’s too outdated, he ought to have stopped final yr, have some dignity, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I used to be similar to: ‘Say a bit louder!’ Because Mark generally is a ache within the arse, however in case you say that he cannot, then he in all probability will.”
Peta and Mark have overcome many obstacles collectively, particularly lately. She understands his love for biking and why he needed to race on in 2024 to attempt to win a thirty fifth stage on the Tour de France.
“He loves the Tour de France and I by no means wished him to depart the Tour behind an ambulance like final yr,” Peta defined, the emotion filling her voice.
When Cavendish lastly reached the workforce bus, he hugged Anastopoulos intensely. Anastopoulos quietly stated to him, ‘We did it, we did it…’
Cavendish additionally hugged Renshaw, as soon as his loyal leadout man, now his loyal directeur sportif. Soon on the bus they posed for a selfie. Cavendish held up 5 fingers, Renshaw three, signifying 35 victories.
Project 35 has been completed.