Tour de France: Mark Cavendish claims record-breaking 35th stage win

Mark Cavendish broke the Tour de France stage wins document as he took his thirty fifth victory in biking’s best race to surpass the legendary Eddy Merckx with a sensational dash end in Saint Vulbas.

Contesting what is predicted to be his ultimate Tour, the 39-year-old burst clear in a dramatic finale to stage 5 and raised his arms in celebration as he crossed the road victorious, earlier than being embraced by his crew.

The historic achievement comes one yr after Cavendish suffered a race-ending crash on stage eight, at some point after being pipped to a record-breaking victory by Jasper Philipsen.

“You dash and go as arduous as you’ll be able to till you get to the end and perhaps your life modifications if you happen to cross that line first, perhaps it would not if you happen to do not. That’s the nature of this race and what makes it so stunning,” Cavendish informed ITV.

Cavendish had collectively held the document for many Tour stage wins with Belgian Merckx since profitable his thirty fourth stage in 2021.

Final yr was presupposed to be his 14th and ultimate Tour, however the dream of ending his profession with the outright Tour stage document motivated him to make one other comeback.

Delaying his retirement plans by yet another yr, Cavendish, already thought to be the perfect sprinter of all time, has earned the prize he desperately sought.

The Briton had feared his profession could possibly be over and battles with sickness, accidents and despair contributed to him not profitable as soon as throughout 2019 and 2020.

However he returned to the Belgian Fast Step crew in 2021 to win 4 levels in a exceptional comeback at that yr’s Tour.

Unnoticed of the 2022 Tour and seemingly out of contract on the finish of that yr, he joined Astana Qazaqstan on the final minute for 2023.

Along with his race abruptly ended after he sustained a damaged collarbone in a crash when on the verge of historical past final yr, the Manx Missile determined he couldn’t permit his profession to finish there.

And so, in Saint Vulbas, with a trademark sprint to the road, Cavendish achieved the record-breaking second that has lengthy felt his future.

Tour race director Christian Prudhomme stated: “Everybody has a smile at the moment – even Eddy Merckx.

“Everyone thought it was too late however him. It’s a fantastic story. He’s the yellow jersey of the sprinters.”