It’s been two months since Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) crashed out of the 2023 Tour de France and needed to abandon his pursuit of a document thirty fifth stage victory, however the Manxman’s street to restoration is near ending. Cyclingnews understands his return will come at subsequent month’s Tour of Turkey, Oct 8-15.
Cavendish had nice reminiscences from Turkey, having received there in 2021 after a three-year drought, forward of equalling Eddy Merckx’s stage win document at that yr’s Tour de France when he received 4 occasions. Cavendish additionally shares the stage win document on the Tour of Turkey with now-retired sprinter Andre Greipel, each with 11 victories.
The 2023 Tour of Turkey was postponed from its typical April slot on the calendar to October because of the main earthquake that hit the nation, and neighbouring Syria, in February, which additionally required the Tour of Antalya to be cancelled.
Race organisers introduced Cavendish’s return on their Instagram in August with fellow high sprinters Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) additionally anticipated to start out.
Surgical procedure was required for Cavendish’s damaged collarbone suffered on stage 8 of the Tour and put him out of coaching on the street for an prolonged interval with earlier accidents affecting the size of his restoration. Nevertheless, the sprinter is now again coaching on the street.
Cavendish was most lately noticed using with former teammate Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech), and Cameron Wurf (Ineos Grenadiers), on the four-time Tour winner’s Instagram web page earlier this week.
He’s additionally been seen using round Éze and up the Col de la Madone in a gaggle with former professional rider George Hincapie as Cavendish continued a long-awaited return to racing with questions over his scheduled retirement nonetheless unanswered.
Cavendish introduced the 2023 season can be his final through the Giro d’Italia earlier than taking an unbelievable victory on stage 21, however the disappointment of the Tour raised appreciable hypothesis that he would proceed for an additional yr with Astana Qazaqstan to chase the fairytale finale.
His workforce have said their want to increase his profession for an additional yr, with workforce supervisor Alexander Vinokourov main the cost for Cavendish to signal a contract for the 2024 season and attempt to win a document thirty fifth stage on the Tour de France, however little information has come from the Brit himself.
The Kazakh workforce added Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe), Max Kanter (Movistar) and a member of Cavendish’s stellar 2021 Tour de France leadout prepare, Davide Ballerini (Soudal-QuickStep), and hoped to bolster the leadout to steer Cavendish to remain for an additional yr.
All through 2023, Cavendish had little assist in sprints with Cees Bol typically having to try to pilot the Manxman into one other workforce’s prepare on the Tour as a substitute of totally main him out. However with the aforementioned trio, they may have a extra distinguished prepare to assist the Brit ought to he resolve to remain within the skilled ranks for an additional season.