Tour of Colombia Cycling : Mark Cavendish, once again, proved his dominance in sprinting, this time at the Tour Colombia. He secured a triumphant victory on the fourth stage and kicked off his 2024 campaign with a bang. Despite a third-place finish in the initial sprint, Cavendish showed his strategic prowess, thanks to an impressive leadout from his Astana-Qazaqstan teammates.
With Zipaquirá as the backdrop, Cavendish charged ahead, expertly navigating the final kilometer with speed and precision. He managed to surpass his rival, Fernando Gaviria, with utmost ease. This early success, reminiscent of his triumphant victory at the Dubai Tour in 2018, stands as a testament to Cavendish’s unwavering talent and determination. A race like this early in the season will only boost his confidence further.
“I’m speechless. I was lined up behind my boys in the final kilometre and knew I couldn’t let them down,” Cavendish said after the finish. “They were phenomenal. Not just in the final, but the whole day. After a split in the peloton over a climb, they chased with ferocity and heart, along with Movistar Team for 70km to make sure we got our sprint. The belief and passion they showed for our team brings tears to my eyes.”
Tour of Colombia Cycling conquered, focus now on Tour de France
Cavendish clinched an incredible 163rd career win, solidifying his position as one of the most accomplished sprinters in the world of cycling. He now stands alongside the great Mario Cipollini in the ranks of the all-time winningest male riders, cementing his legacy. Despite previously announcing his retirement, a twist of fate has led Cavendish to extend his career for one last season. Accompanied by a formidable group composed of Cees Bol and former Quick Step comrades Michael Mørkøv and Davide Ballerini, Cavendish dove into a rigorous training routine in Colombia to sharpen his abilities.
Britain’s Mark Cavendish claimed his first victory of the season in a sprint finish on stage four of the Tour of Colombia cycling .
Cavendish edged out home favourite Fernando Gaviria on the 181.8km route from Paipa to Zipaquira.
The 38-year-old’s triumph was his first since reversing his decision to retire – and also the 163rd in his career.
It places him joint-second on the all-time list of male riders with the most career successes., external
Cavendish sits alongside former Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini, although he is some way behind Belgian great Eddy Merckx, who won 276 times during his professional career.
The ‘Manx Missile’ penned a new one-year contract with his Astana-Qazaqstan team last Autumn, delaying plans to bow out of the sport to pursue a record 35th Tour de France stage win this summer.
Cavendish is currently equal with five-time Tour champion Merckx on 34 stage wins at La Grande Boucle.
Colombia’s Rodrigo Contreras currently leads the general classification of his home event, with his compatriot Harold Tejada in second and Italy’s Andrea Piccolo in third.
The 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal is 11th overall, with the six-stage Tour of Colombia ending in the nation’s capital Bogota on Sunday.
