I have decided that it is time to return to the story threads of PCM.Daily, on a version of PCM, as well as a db, that I have had success with in the past. Also, I will be returning a rider that I have had a big of success with previously – the one and only Mark Cavendish.
In PCM11, you read about The Manx Missile in Project Rainbow Jersey... In PCM13, you will have his Fight for Green!
Honestly, I don't need too much of an introduction. I'm the current British Road Race Champion, 2011 World Road Race Champion and winner of the Points Jersey in all three Grand Tours (2010 - Vuelta a España, 2011 - Tour de France, 2013 - Giro d'Italia), as well as forty-three Grand Tour stage victories to my name. I have won Milan-San Remo, Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne and many other stages around the world.
On the track, I am a Double World Champion (2005 & 2008 - Madison), a Commonwealth Champion (2006 - Scratch Race) and a Multiple National Champion across a number of disciplines.
If you still don't know who I am, I'm who they call the Manx Missile - I'm Mark Cavendish.
My Background
I was born and raised on the Isle of Man, a small island that is normally associated with fast men on another kind - the Isle of Man TT. From an early age, I had a love of bikes. My evenings would be rides with my friends, racing from one sign post to the next the roads around the towns and mountains of the island. There was one main difference though - whilst they pretended to the Chris Boardman or Marco Pantani, I was always Mark Cavendish.
When I was old enough, I started racing in the local races, with some impressive results. That brought the attention of British Cycling, and soon I was signed up for their new Academy Programme, under the guidance of Rod Ellingworth. Following further success on the bike, saw me gain a big move the German T-Mobile squad, and just one year later, my story with the Tour de France began. Four stages wins announced me on the scene, and the following years, I went one better with five wins in 2009, 2010 and 2011, taking the Green Jersey in the final one of those year.
From there, I think you know the rest, I won't bore you with any of the details. It is clear that I have rich history with the Tour de France, and I want to add to my glory in the biggest race of them all.
@all: Thanks guys! More will be added to the above posts this evening, however, from the off, this is looking like it will be a short story based around the Tour de France (as you can work out from the title) with the rest of the season in blog style report building up to it hope everyone is ok with that
My season began in Argentina, at the Tour de San Luis. In recent years with Quickstep, it has become my standard season opener for the forthcoming season, and it was a really nice race to ride.
The team brought was built around around stage wins in the Sprints. Mark Renshaw, Julien Alaphilippe, Gianni Meersman and Julien Vermote were given the job of piloting me to the finish line, with Nikolas Maes, Serge Pauwels and Guillaume van Keirsbulck working throughout the stages.
Taking the win on Stage 1
The race couldn't have gotten off to a better start in truth - Stage One and instant results for the train. We made it look easy, but we had to be honest, that the competition wasn't the best. We lost the Leader's Jersey on Stage Two on the long uphill climb to the finish, but Stage Three was a return to business. Two sprint stages, and two victories.
Stages Four, Five and Six favoured the GC riders, and I let them just get on with it. I was more preoccupied about going all out for the win on the Stage Seven. The Mountain Stages had taken it out of my legs, but I wanted to finish off in style. The team rode the final 20km perfectly, catching the day's break with 2.5km to go, and setting me up for my third win, taking the Points Jersey in the process. What a way to start!
*****
From Argentina, I jetted out to the Middle East, where the inaugural Dubai Tour lay ahead. The stages were flat, fast and bound to be very windy, if the other races in the Middle East were anything to go by. Like San Luis, it was going to be all about the Sprints. Alessandro Petacchi, Tony Martin, Julien Vermote and Niki Terpstra made up my lead-out train, with Petr Vakoc, Thomas de Gendt and Martin Velits aiding with domestique duties during the stages.
Stage One was a Prologue, where I ride well to finish just 18" down on stage winner, Geraint Thomas (Sky). A couple of victories in the race could be enough to give the GC win at the same time. The level of competition was definitely upped in comparison to San Luis, but still it was nothing like I was expecting later in the year at the Tour.
The perfect lead-out on Stage 4
Stage Two was a back in business, taking my fourth win of the season, and the Leader's Jersey with it. Stage Three went to the breakaway, as the end climbs took it out of my legs. I kept the lead, but left disappointed that a small ascent towards the end was too much for me, especially when the team had worked so hard for me in the build up. All was repaid on Stage Four.
Everything went perfectly, from the catch of the breakaway, with 9km to go, to stretching out of the peleton on the run-in, as I took win number 5 of the season, and the GC victory that went with it. As early season races go, this was one of the best starts to a season I have ever had.
*****
From Dubai to Oman, as we brought February to a close at the Tour of Oman. It was hot, windy and going to be tough. It would also be the first time where the team would be split between the GC and Sprints. For GC, we had Rigoberto Uran, with Gianluca Brambilla and Nikolas Mae offering support. For the sprints, we had Mark Renshaw, Matteo Trentin, Tony Martin and Zdenek Stybar, which was ultimately strongest lead-out. The pressure was really on here.
Stage One was tailored towards a bunch sprint, and I carried on my great form so far this season, but Ben Swift (Sky) and Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr) pushed me all the way. My legs failed me again on Stage Two, with a short climb towards the end put me out of the running, and all I could do was sprint for 9th place.
It was a hard fought victory on Stage 3
Given my record so far when the road went uphill so far wasn't good, and it didn't give me much hope for Stage Three. They backed me however, and I gave it my all to repay them back. Stage result proved how difficult the last kilometre was, as I just outsprinted Arthur Vichot (FDJ.fr) and Simon Gerrans (Orica) on the line.
Stage Four and Five favoured the GC men, and Rigoberto performed fantastically when it mattered. Heading into the final stage, he led the GC by 4 seconds ahead of Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R). This gave the team something to think about for Stage Six - do they go all out to defend Uran's GC lead, or go all out for me. In the end, they went for the first option. The breakaway took the victory, I sprinted for 5th ahead of the peleton, and Rigoberto on the Tour of Oman.
*****
As first couple of months go, this was pretty much perfect. I had 7 victories to my name already, and heading to the Early Season Classics and Paris-Nice with some good form in my legs. It was turn that I was yet to meet the big name Sprinters, but the Omega Train was certainly getting in full motion.
If someone had given me the perfect start to a season, the first two months would have been close to it. Seven victories, three Points Jerseys and one GC win - not bad, eh!
*****
My first race on European soil was the Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne, where I was gunning for the victory. I had won here in Sky colours in 2012, and was confident of the same result if it ended in a bunch sprint. The support I had was phenomenal. Tom Boonen was my final lead-out man (and also Plan B), along with Stijn Vandenburgh, Julien Alaphilippe, Niki Terpstra and Zdenek Stybar adding their Cobbled expertise to the team. Tony Martin and Julien Vermote complete the team which is built completely around an all or nothing victory.
The conditions, as expected for the time of year, were not the best. Grey skies, heavy rain showers and strongs battered the peleton all day, and as the pace was upped, splits began to form. Thankfully, I had the whole team around me. The decisive split came with 22km to go, when Cancellara (Trek) and Vanmarcke (Belkin) tried to make a move of the front. The OmegaPharma boys hit the front, throwing a number of favourites for a Bunch Sprint out the back. The catch was made with 7km to go, Martin and Boonen piloted me to the front of the bunch, and I made the perfect kick to the line. Victory number 8 of the season, and this one was certainly for the team.
*****
Confidence was high heading into my next race - Paris-Nice. Usually I used the Tirreno-Adriatico as part of the my early build up, but this year I preferred to focus on the Race to the Sun. The team was split in two, aiming for the Sprints with myself, and the GC with Rigoberto Uran. Peter Serry and Tony Martin rode in support of Rigoberto, whilst Niki Terpstra, Julien Alaphilippe, Stijn Vandenburgh and Mark Renshaw.
Paris-Nice gave me the first chance of coming up against some stronger sprint competition - Sagan, Bouhanni, Griepel and Guardini were all present, and the first three stages were tailored for the fast men.
The train worked in perfect motion, taking control early, keeping the pace high as the others fell apart around us. I took the first three stages with ease, with the big names left in my wake. With Yellow on my shoulders, we headed to the GC deciding stage, where we hope Uran would take over. Sagan took the win on Stage Four went to Sagan, who not only threatened Yellow, but also Green. Over the next four stages became a battle of the GC men, with Simon Spilak (Katusha) coming out on top on the final stage. Rigoberto rode well for 9th on GC, whilst I finished over 46 minutes down. Sadly though, despite my three stage wins, I missed out on Green to Sagan by 8 points.
*****
My final race before my early season break came at the Milano-San Remo - La Classicissima di primavera. Normally I would be aiming for the win here, but following a change to the final kilometres, it was no longer a race for the Sprinters. Michal Kwiatkowski led the team, with Gianni Meersman, Jan Bakelants and Zdenek Stybar as either back up or super domestiques over the stage. Niki Terpstra and Julien Vermote would ride in support of myself, with Nikola Maes riding more of a free role.
Maes made the day's break of 17 riders, but a chase by BMC and Cannondale meant that it gained no more than 6 minutes up the road. The attacks from the favourites came just before the Cipressa, and with them went my chances of the victory. Gilbert (BMC), Sagan (Cannondale) and Cancellara (Trek) made the first moves, shortly followed by Gerrans, Matthews (both Orica) and Visconti (Movistar). Kwiatkowski stayed calm, making his move on the Poggio. He passed Gilbert over the top, and catching Sagan on the descent. Turning the corner onto the finishing straight into San Remo. The sprint had no contest as the Pole took one of the biggest win of his career. I rolled over the line in 40th place, with the main peleton.
*****
The Cobble Classics and the Ardennes would be watched from the comfort of my house in the UK. MSR would be the final race of my early season, giving 6 weeks or so of training before the Amgen Tour of California. My season had begun fantastically, with 11 wins before the end of March. If I could ride this well through May and June, the Tour de France will be looking like a great race for me.
Argentina
United Arab Emirates
Oman
Belgium
Italy
United States
Belgium
Switzerland
Great Britain
Spain
Let's roll!
hope everyone is ok with that
