Alberto Contador exclusive: 'Pure sprinter' Mark Cavendish could win more stages at Giro d'Italia and Tour de France
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ByEurosport
Published 04/05/2023 at 08:28 GMT
Alberto Contador has one of the best resumes in professional cycling, and speaking to Eurosport, he discussed the chances of his erstwhile peer, Mark Cavendish, ahead of this season's Grand Tours: the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. He believes the 37-year-old sprinter cannot be ruled out of winning more stage victories before the year is out.
Gilbert has 'no hesitation' Cavendish will break Tour stage win record
Eurosport's Alberto Contador believes that it is impossible to discount yet more stage wins for British cycling legend Mark Cavendish at this year’s Grand Tours.
The 37-year-old Astana Qazaqstan Team rider is set to take part in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, with the Vuelta a Espana also a possibility.
He has a record-equalling 34 stage victories on the Tour, while his 53 stage wins across the three most prestigious events on the calendar represent one of the best records in the history of cycling.
Contador, who has won each of the Grand Tours at least once, was asked if Cavendish could win another stage or two with his current team.
“Due to his age, the team he is in, which isn’t a traditional sprint team, do I think he can win another stage in a Grand Tour?" Contador responded.
“I don’t think you can ever count Cavendish out. We are talking about a rider with an outrageous number of victories, a pure sprinter.
"A sprinter that has been at the top level for many years. I’m not going to say that he was the only rider that dominated back then because generations change, the years, etc.
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Gilbert has 'no hesitation' Cavendish will break Tour stage win record
“Maybe now he is not in the best team to get that win, but you can definitely not count him out to get another stage win.
"There will be bigger favourites, but I honestly think he has a chance to win another stage on a Grand Tour.”
With the Giro on the horizon, he added: “I hope to see him fight for the sprint stages. I think Mark has tremendous experience, he knows how to position himself well, and he will have opportunities to show this.
“I think the most important thing for him is to race solid a Giro, to try and accumulate kilometres at a good speed looking towards future objectives - and why not try and win a stage as well?”
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