Mark Cavendish – Astana, there’s the signing: ‘Excited’

The British sprinter will try to pull away from Eddy Merckx in the absolute number of stage wins at the Tour de France

One can still dream at the age of 37. After a career dense with success and records, Mark Cavendish still has no intention of retiring. In fact, the Isle of Man native sprinter has signed a one-year contract with the Astana Qazaqstan Team, which has Alexandr Vinokurov, a former Kazakhstan cyclist and sports legend, as its general manager. The stated goal is to win at least one stage at the Tour de France, which would allow him to detach ‘cannibal’ Eddy Merckx in the number of stage wins at the Grande Boucle (currently the two are tied at 34 wins).

“Mark needs no introduction,” Vinokurov’s comment. “He is the best sprinter of all time, and I am happy to welcome him to Astana. The arrival of a top sprinter to our team is something of a challenge, but we are ready to support him: his presence opens up new possibilities for us. The goals are always the same: to chase victories in any kind of races,” the executive’s thoughts.

“I raced with Alexandr Vinokurov for many years and now I race with his two boys, it’s really amazing. I remember when they were kids and dreamed of becoming cyclists. I’m looking forward to being part of a successful team, working with the team for wins, crossing the finish line first myself or cheering on my teammates,” Cavendish said.