Life begins at 30 for Tour de France stars Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome
THIS year’s Tour de France has at times descended into a farce but two things haven’t changed — Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome are still the best in the world at what they do.
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THIS year’s Tour de France has at times descended into a farce but two things haven’t changed — Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome are still the best in the world at what they do.
Both went into the Tour facing big questions.
With a new team and new training geared specifically to race on the track at next month’s Rio Olympics, was Cavendish still the fastest sprinter on the WorldTour?
Four stage wins in two weeks, the latest of which came on Saturday night and took his career tally to 30, is an emphatic yes.
For Froome, the questions were without his loyal lieutenant Richie Porte by his side and with Colombian Nairo Quintana’s time supposedly set to arrive, was he still the man to beat?
Froome responded by daring his rivals to catch him if they can.
The 31-year-old has turned the way Team Sky has raced previous Tours de France on its head by attacking on the descent of the Col de Peyresourde to take the yellow jersey on Stage 8.
Then even more unexpectedly he attacked the dwindling peloton on the flat finish to Stage 11 in Montpellier and almost out-sprinted Peter Sagan.
Froome either clearly remembers what Quintana did to him in the Alps last year and is worried about the third week of the Tour or is simply making a statement that he is still the best Grand Tour rider going around.
Unfortunately for Tour organisers, the racing has largely been overshadowed by farcical events that have marred the opening two weeks.
A giant inflatable banner came down on Adam Yates as he rode to the finish of Stage 7 causing a spectacular crash.
The next day Froome was fined 200 Swiss francs for punching a spectator who got too close for comfort.
The Mont Ventoux Stage 12 was shortened because of 100km/h winds at the top but that was the least of the riders’ worries.
Who will ever forget the sight of Froome in the yellow jersey without his bike running up the final climb of the day, in sheer desperation and panic, after crowds and a motorbike caused a pile-up of the race leaders?
Porte meanwhile was Australia’s great hope for the yellow jersey but was hit by rotten luck on the second day when he punctured in the closing kilometres and lost 1min 45secs.
While Cavendish may go home after Tuesday’s rest day to prepare for the Rio Olympics, Froome’s biggest test is still to come with three mountain days in the final five stages.
But despite a dramatic two weeks which has produced the most unexpected of events even for cycling, Froome and Cavendish have reminded everyone that their class is very much permanent and they just keep finding a way to win.
MARK CAVENDISH’S 30 TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE WINS
2016 (Dimension Data)
30. Stage 14 — 208.5km Montelimar to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux
29. Stage 6 — 190.5km Arpajon-sur-Cere to Montauban
28. Stage 3 — 223.5km Granville to Angers
27. Stage 1 — 188km Mont-Saint-Michel to Utah Beach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
2015 (Etixx-Quickstep)
26. Stage 7 — 190.5km Livarot to Fougeres
2013 (Omega Pharma-Quickstep)
25. Stage 13 — 173km Tours to Saint-Amand-Monrond
24. Stage 5 — 228.5km Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille
2012 (Team Sky)
23. Stage 20 — 120km Rambouillet to Paris
22. Stage 18 — 222.5km Blagnac to Brive-la-gaillarde
21. Stage 2 — 207.5km Vis to Toumai
2011 (HTC-Highroad)
20. Stage 21 — 95km Creteil to Paris
19. Stage 15 — 187km Limoux to Montpellier
18. Stage 11 — 168km Blaye-les-mines to Lavaur
17. Stage 7 — 215km Le Mans to Châteauroux
16. Stage 5 — 158km Carhaix to Cap Frehel
2010 (HTC-Columbia)
15. Stage 20 — 102.5km Longjumeau to Paris
14. Stage 18 — 198km Salies-de-Bearn to Bordeaux
13. Stage 11 — 184km Sisteron to Bourg-les-Valence
12. Stage 6 — 227km Montargis to Gueugnon
11. Stage 5 — 185km Épernay to Montargis
2009 (Columbia-HTC)
10. Stage 21 — 160km Montereau to Paris
9. Stage 19 — 195km Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas
8. Stage 11 — 192km Vatan to Saint-Fargeau
7. Stage 10 — 193km Limoges to Issoudun
6. Stage 3 — 196km Marseille to La Grande-Motte
5. Stage 2 — 182km Monaco to Brignoles
2008 (Team Columbia)
4. Stage 13 — 182km Narbonne to Nimes
3. Stage 12 — 168km Lavelanet to Narbonne
2. Stage 8 — 172km Figeac to Toulouse
1. Stage 5 — 232km Cholet to Chateauroux
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Life begins at 30 for Tour de France stars Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome
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