was there any doubt?
If there’s one Brit sportsman I have total trust in it is Mark Cavendish. Yes I know it can go wrong and it has done on a couple occasions previously in this year’s Tour.
But even with having to stop after the intermediate sprint for a bike change when he came round that last bend with a couple of HTC jerseys in front of him it was a forgone conclusion. Fifth stage win of this Tour, 20th overall – in only 4 tours – and third straight on the Champs Elysées – does he get to keep it now – and for the first time the Green Jersey winner. Only the second Brit after Robert Millar’s “King of the Mountains” win in ’84 to win one of the main jerseys.
A great ride by a great rider, surrounded by great team-mates and there’s the thing about Cav, individual glory but a real team player. While the England football team are talked about being scared, it’s only fear for themselves they have whereas Cavendish’s fear is that after getting him well placed and then giving him the perfect lead out that he lets them down.
The other 8 members of the team – Lars Bak, Peter Velits, Terjay van Garderen, Danny Pate, Tony Martin, Matthew Goss, Bernie Eisel & Mark Renshaw – deserve a part of that Green Jersey and Cav is the first to admit this. As shown in his interviews where before anything about himself he’s talking about the great work the other guys have done.
Congrats also to the actual winner of the Tour, Cadel Evans. Was wishing him to overtake the Schlecks on the penultimate stage, individual time trial, that was a hell of a ride by the Australian after three hellish days in the Alps. He may have finally got yellow after the sprint but that single handed dragging back of a couple of minutes of Andy Schleck’s lead after the Luxembourger’s amazing breakaway up the Galibier was probably where it was really won. Just a shame that Tommy Voeckler couldn’t hold on a bit more but it was a heroic ride by the little Frenchman to try and hang onto yellow.
Oh and Cav, Sports Personality of the Year. Can there be any doubt?