First Pro Tour Win for Cav in Tour of Catalonia

 

May 22, 2007
Further information: www.t-mobile-team.com 

 

Great Britain's Mark Cavendish who turned 22 yesterday, riding for T-Mobile, won his first Pro Tour race when he was victorious on the second stage of the Tour of Catalonia in northern Spain. The Isle of Man sprinter won the bunch sprint at the end of the 170km stage from Salou to Perafort to take his fourth win of the season and add to his growing reputation as a sprinter par excellence. His win was all the more impressive as the long stage included three categorised climbs in the mountains.

 

With 195 riders starting the stage, two riders made the race until the final part of the stage had passed and the mountains conquered where upon the break was caught and from the bunch, out shot Cavendish to win his first ProTour race and his third stage in month.

 

Sporting Director Jan Schaffrath commented; "Mark was simply the strongest in the finale here today. By taking a win like this at the start of such a tough stage-race gives us all confidence, which is extremely important to us. Mark was also one of the strongest in yesterday's team time trial. We are all delighted."

 

 

When British Cycling caught up with him after the race, Mark was doing well to contain the excitement of having won his first Pro Tour race in his first Pro Tour event. When asked if after four victories, the season was going better than he expected, Mark simply replied “Robbie McEwen won eight European races in his first season” which shows the competitive spirit in the rider. “There’s unfinished business there” he added.

 

Asked if his first ProTour race victory was a milestone in his career, he replied matter of factly and modestly  “It was just another win really”. Mark has always been confident in his ability as a sprinter and is happier it seems to heap praise on his team rather than his achievements. Talking about the finish of the race he says “it was very technical and although the turns were as they were in the book, the profile was the complete opposite. So it was a case of knowing the turns and from 500 metres to go, I played it right and won on the uphill finish.”

 

Asked did he get a lead out or duck and dive, Mark replied “I just duck and dived. You couldn’t have lead outs and no team had a train going on that finish, it was too technical. So it was a case of every man for himself.” He then added that the Aussie Aaron Kemps did make it hard for him because he knew Mark was the quicker but the former Olympic Academy rider had too much in the tank for the Astana rider. Mark then explained before the stage he had been a little worried about the mountains but then added “the race was controlled. Its ProTour and the team leading the race wanted to hold onto the jersey. I’ve also been in Italy training in the mountains." Mark was staying with Geraint Thomas (who left to race in France while Mark was there) and enabled the T-Mobile professional to hook up with  his former manager and coach Rod Ellingworth who he has high praise for.

 

One thing that comes across talking to Mark was that unlike in Los Angeles in 2005 when he was in pieces after winning a World title (Madison), he is now taking his victories in his stride. “Its been quite a long time coming” he says of the success where everyone can now see he is one of the Worlds best. “I was stuck in a third div team for two years but now I have the ProTour contract, I have been able to prove a lot of people wrong.”

 

“T-Mobile have been brilliant. Today they chased down the break for us two sprinters (the other being Bernhard Eisel) and they put their faith in both of us. I can’t fault the team especially for a young lad like me to have some seasoned pros working for me, it is quite a major thing.”

 

“The last stage in Dunkirk I was more proud of the way the team worked for me than I was of the win. They did an absolutely sterling job and I really appreciated that -- it made me feel really good inside.”

 

Good luck to Mark in the rest of the race.

 

Result stage 3

1. Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile)  4:01:47
2. Aaron Kemps (Astana) 
3. Leonardo Duke (Cofidis)
4. Baden Cooke (Unibet.com).
5. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
6. Brown Daniel (Relax-Gam) 
7. Bernhard Eisel (T-Mobile)
8. William Bonnet (Credit Agricole)
9. Allan Davis (Discvery Chanel) 
10. Mikel Artetxe (The Fuerteventura-Canary Islands)

 

132. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis                               
158. David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval-Prodir                     

 

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