Cavendish could better Merkx’s Tour de France record — but not this year
London — Mark Cavendish is adamant he will secure the five Tour de France stage wins to break legendary Belgian Eddie Merckx’s all-time record of 34, but it may have to wait another year. The 32-year-old Isle of Man-born sprint ace — who has 30 stage wins to his name since 2008 — heads into this year’s race, starting on Saturday, having recovered from the debilitating Epstein-Barr virus (glandular fever). Cavendish, whose biggest stage haul in a single Tour de France was six in 2009, told Thursday’s edition of [UK’s] The Times that he is not yet firing on all cylinders. So, despite the 2017 edition being a sprinter-friendly Tour with seven stages potentially up for grabs, Merckx’s mark may be safe for the moment. "I truly believe that I am the best sprinter on the planet," said Cavendish. "Without this illness, I would be going in looking to pass the record this year. The competitive fires are burning but I have to be realistic. It’s like, you know, Ducatis are going to be faster th...
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