Tour de France: Cavendish equals Merckx's record, Pogacar keeps yellow jersey

Mark Cavendish of Great Britain crosses the finish line at the end of the 13th stage. (AFP)

Carcassonne (France) - It was Cavendish's fourth win of the 2021 edition

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By AFP

Published: Fri 9 Jul 2021, 7:36 PM

Last updated: Fri 9 Jul 2021, 7:52 PM

Mark Cavendish equalled the all-time tally of Tour de France stage wins when he sped over the finish line at Carcassonne on Friday for a landmark 34th victory in the race.

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

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It was Cavendish’s fourth win of the 2021 edition and sees the British sprinter equal Eddy Merckx’s 35-year-old record of Tour de France stage wins.

It is all the more remarkable considering Cavendish’s career looked compromised in December, teamless, without a Tour de France win in five years, and struggling to put a long bout of the tiring Epstein Barr virus behind him.

Cavendish has steadfastly refused to hype the record due to his reverence for the great Belgian Merckx, who also won the Tour de France five times.

Known as the “Manx Missile”, the rider from the Isle of Man made it across the line on Friday just a few centimetres ahead of two sprint rivals to celebrate wildly with his team.

AFP

Published: Fri 9 Jul 2021, 7:36 PM

Last updated: Fri 9 Jul 2021, 7:52 PM

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