Mark Cavendish crashed out of what was set to be his final Tour de France on Saturday, ending the sprint legend’s quest to go one better than Eddie Merckx for stage wins.
The 38-year-old British rider got caught up in a crash on a flat section of road seemingly without danger entering the village of La Chapelle-Verlaine about 63km from the finish.
In agony he was taken to a hospital with a broken collarbone as Denmark’s Mads Pedersen went on to win a bunch sprint in Limoges in central France.
Photo: AFP
“I won’t lie, I cried. Everyone in the team is hurting,” Astana Qazaqstan Team sprint adviser Mark Renshaw said.
“Second yesterday, and today, to have this happen to Mark ... it’s hard,” he said.
Widely regarded as cycling’s greatest sprinter, Cavendish came into this year’s Tour level on 34 stage wins with Belgian great Merckx.
Jasper Philipsen had denied him a record 35th stage win on Friday.
On Saturday, former world champion Pedersen won ahead of Belgian duo Philipsen and Wout van Aert.
“It’s sad a legend like him ends his Tour like that,” Trek-Segafredo rider Pedersen said.
“I hoped so bad he’d get his 35th win on the Tour. It’s painful not only for him, but also for so many other people in cycling, riders and fans, everyone,” he added.
Ashen-faced Cavendish remained on the road rolling in pain every time he reached toward his right shoulder before being taken away by ambulance.
Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme said it was “an emotional day.”
“For a few seconds yesterday we thought he would achieve his goal, and today it’s over,” he said.
“He’s the best sprinter in Tour de France history and he’ll always be welcome here, with or without a bike,” he added.
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