In Fougeres
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The general classification of the Tour de France
Five years after his last victory in the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish did it again this Tuesday by winning the sprint at Fougères, where he had already won in 2015. The racing car from the Isle of Man, led in the final by his luxury teammates, Julian Alaphilippe, gave voice to a burst of speed that we thought had disappeared to win at 36 and bring his stage victories counter to 31, three off Eddy Merckx's record.
The Briton, who precedes Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni and Belgian Jasper Philipsen on the line, was all the more moved on arrival as he found himself without a contract at the end of last season, before the manager of the Deceuninck-Quick Step team, Patrick Lefevere, gives one last chance to the greatest sprinter in history.
“It's really an incredible comeback. Last year, my situation was very difficult, I was really at the bottom of the hole. And now I'm back to win here where I won in 2015. "
Mark Cavendish
“
It's really an incredible comeback.
Last year, my situation was very difficult, I was really at the bottom of the hole.
And now I'm back to win here where I won in 2015,
”he confided, his eyes cloudy, after the finish.
The Mannois had also owed his selection for the Tour only to the withdrawal of the Irishman Sam Bennett, the green jersey for the 2020 edition, due to injury… This green jersey which he had won in 2011 and which he recovers from the end of this fourth stage of 150 km, part of Redon.
“
I hope my story gives some hope to those who are in the situation I found myself in last year.
Don't give up.
We can always come back,
”continued Mark Cavendish, before paying tribute to his team, with whom he had already won three stage victories in 2012 and 2013.
First victory on the Tour since 2016
The former world champion (2011) had not raised his arms on French roads since the 2016 Tour, of which he had worn the yellow jersey for one day.
Since then, he was only a shadow of himself because of an Epstein-Barr virus which haunted him for several years and which was succeeded by an authentic depression following his transfer to the Bahrain-Mérida team, where he found yet the coach of his debut, Rod Ellingworth.
“This race gave me the life I have and I gave it my life. "
Mark Cavendish
“
Three weeks ago, I certainly wouldn't have dreamed of winning the Tour de France.
Since 2008, when I tasted victory on the Tour for the first time, the pleasure I took to stand on the podium each time has not changed.
Because we do not always realize all the sacrifices that must be made to get there
, ”he said.
“
This race gave me the life I have and I gave it my life,
” he concluded.
Van Moer believed it, Van der Poel in Yellow
This final fanfare, which crowns four days of drama and passion in Brittany, could very well have been spoiled by the young Belgian Brent van Moer. Left 138 km from the finish with the French Pierre-Luc Perrichon to avenge his leader Caleb Ewan, eliminated by a fall the day before in the home stretch in Pontivy, the rider of the Lotto Soudal team was caught 200 m from the line by the pack, led by the teammates of Mark Cavendish. Winner detached in the same way from a stage of the last Critérium du Dauphiné, Brent Van Moer this time failed with a breath.
The Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel kept his yellow leader's jersey with eight seconds ahead of Julian Alaphilippe on the eve of a 30 km individual time trial between Changé and Laval which should establish the first real hierarchy of this editing.