Mark Cavendish Captures 35th Stage Win; Breaks Merckx’s Record

On the second flat stage of the Tour, in wet and remarkably cooler weather than the preceding days, Cavendish, 39, was ideally positioned for most of the 177.4-kilometer route from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. As the peloton approached the straightaway in Saint-Vulbas, the general classification contenders—Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)—gave way to the sprinters. As sprinters torpedoed down Avenue des Bergeries, an unassuming road preceded by cornfields, the Manx Missile skillfully maneuvered opportune lead-outs, and when the time was right, he separated himself from the pack and catapulted across the finish line.

"You have to go all in, and we've done it," said Cavendish in a post-race interview. "We worked out exactly what we wanted to do, how we built the team, the equipment. Every detail has gone ­specifically into today."

Cavendish's performance was a remarkable reversal from the Grand Départ, where high temperatures—almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit—caused him to get dropped on the first climb, vomit on the bike, and have some pundits write him off as a formidable competitor and others questioned whether he could even make the cutoff time to ride another stage. Despite these doubts his Astana Qazaqstan team rallied around him just as they did last year when he crashed and broke his collar bone on stage 8 of the Tour.

"It normally takes me days to get into it," said Cavendish. "I've done 15 Tours now. I don't like having bad days, I don't like to suffer, but I know it's just in the head and if you get through it, you can have an opportunity.

It's safe to say he finally got 'into' the Tour by winning his 35th stage and toppling Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins, which stood for almost 50 years. Like the record, Cavendish's chain jumped off the chain ring as he crossed the finish line.

After the race, Cavendish thanked his 'boys' for shepherding him to victory.

"I always needed to win one more, more more," said Cavendish. "It takes a lot to get there every year. I've got incredible people around me."

Pogačar, the current race leader, congratulated Cavendish on his win. As they hugged, Cavendish asked him not to break his record.

"Don't beat it," said Cavendish.

“No, I wont,” said Pogačar with a laugh. "No worries."

In addition to Cavendish's record, Intermarché–Wanty rider Biniam Girmay became the first Eritrean cyclist to don the green jersey.

"Our plan was to try to get the green jersey," said Girmay. "It's a nice color. I'm really happy to wear a green jersey."

Tomorrow, the Tour moves deeper into France for stage 6. Racing 163.5 km from Mâcon to Dijon, it will be interesting to see if Cavendish tries for another stage win.