After several years of absence on the Tour, the Briton Mark Cavendish won his 31st victory on the Tour de France on Tuesday, during the fourth stage between Redon and Fougères.
A comeback for the 36-year-old runner, greeted by the director of the competition, Christian Prudhomme at the microphone of Europe 1.
And 31!
Cyclist Mark Cavendish signed his 31st stage victory on the Tour de France, on the occasion of the fourth stage of the competition on Tuesday.
After three years of absence, the 36-year-old British rider is making a comeback on the big loop.
"A few days ago, I sent him a message when he was selected in the team and he replied 'I don't believe it, this race is everything for me, I will give everything '", remembers at the microphone of Europe 1 the director of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme, who salutes the performance of the Briton.
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Three more victories before the record
"This is his 31st victory, four or five years after his last victory on the Tour, just 50 meters from a school where he had already triumphed and where there are bike hooks that bear his name," said the competition director.
The sprinter of the Deceuninck-Quick Step formation is only three units away from the record for stage victories, currently held by the famous Belgian cyclist, Eddy Merckx who won 34. "We saw him win later. Several years of scarcity, stages of races of lesser scope than the Tour de France. And there, he arrives and he returns. Helped by his team, helped by Julian Alaphilippe, he wins the stage ", greets Christian Prudhomme.
"He cries bitterly"
The 36-year-old cyclist could not restrain his emotion after this victory. "There is obviously a very strong emotion. We saw it in his tears, he cries hot tears. It is true that the Tour de France starts with difficult days, sometimes for various reasons, but outstanding", added the director of the Tour. On Wednesday, on the occasion of the fifth stage, the riders will face their first time trial between Changé and Laval, in Mayenne. Long-awaited time trial, because Julian Alaphlippe should try to recover the yellow jersey, on the shoulders of Mathieu van der Poel for two days.