Mark Cavendish to use Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race as launching pad for Tour de France and Rio Olympics
SPRINT superstar Mark Cavendish has sent a warning to rivals, declaring a limited preparation won’t hurt his chances in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
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SPRINT superstar Mark Cavendish has sent a warning to rivals, declaring a limited preparation won’t hurt his chances in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Cavendish, 30, a former world champion and winner of 44 Grand Tour stages, will use Sunday’s 174km one-day classic to launch one of the most important seasons of his career.
The Isle of Man fast man has spent the past week training around the Bellarine Peninsula as he prepares to hunt more Tour de France glory and Olympic gold on the track in Rio in 2016.
“I’m not coming here just to roll around,” Cavendish said.
“It’s not like I’m going to sit up and just roll in and at the same time I don’t think I’m going to be dropped on the first lap. I think if I’m there in the final I’m the best shot of anybody to win it.
“But there’s some strong riders here. If I don’t make it to the finish line in the front group I’m not going to be disheartened.”
Cadel Evans told the Herald Sun he would be fascinated to see whether Cavendish, with new team Dimension Data, could stay in touch during three laps of a hilly 20.2km finishing circuit.
“It’s not going to be easy. It could be a breakaway, it could be a sprint, but like Milan San Remo you won’t know until the final couple of kilometres which is quite exciting,” Cavendish said.
The man known as the “Manx Missile” spent much of the winter on the track with an eye on the Rio Olympics. He defended his decision not to race Tour Down Under, arguing it was more important for him to slowly build his endurance in anonymity around Geelong.
“It’s done me good to be here to ride long distances on nice roads,” he said.
“I think the form’s there, but it’s been nice to get some 5-6 hour rides in. Coming down here for training ... the Great Ocean Road is one of the most beautiful roads to ride your bike anywhere in the world.
“The weather, the Australian roads, the coffee and
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Great Ocean Road Race: Aussie team produces stunner in scorcher
The mercury went above 40 in the men’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and it was an unlikely Swiss sensation who delivered glory for an Australian team in the sweltering heat.