"I've been broken," Mark Cavendish says with a throaty chuckle as he considers the state of his body after decades on the bike. Cavendish will turn 40 next May and his extraordinary career finally ended last month when he won his final race in Singapore to follow his record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage victory this summer. Cavendish is the greatest sprint cyclist the sport has seen and all the blurring wins and moments of history mean there are no regrets even when he feels so battered. "I have to do so much maintenance of my body now," he says, "and I feel it most when I go running. It gives me a perspective on how many hours I've spent crouched over the handlebars while I'm trying to run. That's when I realise how I've been in the same physical position for the best part of 30 years and at the highest level for nearly 20 years.
"That's the nature of being a sportsman. My best friend, Cal Crutchlow, was a MotoGP rider, so he's broken bones everywhere. We're very lucky our joy came from professional sport but the payoff, apart from having a nice life, is the state of our bodies now."
At least, rather than riding his bike or running, Cavendish can walk leisurely on to the stage at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in Salford this evening. He will receive a lifetime achievement award and, as we discuss the plaudits that will greet him, I realise his competitive spirit remains fully intact. Ever since the Spoty shortlist was announced, and Cavendish was left off despite breaking the record 34 Tour stage wins he and the great Eddy Merckx previously shared, there has been an uproar on social media.
His lifetime award was only announced yesterday morning but Cavendish has known about it for some time. It's the reason we're doing this interview but I love the fact that Cavendish can't help but talk honestly: "I'd be lying if I didn't say I hoped to be on the shortlist, but it's the same as 2021 when I also wasn't nominated."
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 17, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 17, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Real Madrid take aim at Uefa in bid to revive Super League
Real Madrid have spelled out their commitment to a restructuring of the Champions League in which the clubs not Uefa are in control - essentially a European Super League 2.0.
United's big reset
Rashford faces cut-price exit as part of club's cultural reboot
England get horror draw with France, Netherlands and Wales
England, the holders, have been drawn in a group with France, the Netherlands and their neighbours Wales for the 2025 Women's European Championship in Switzerland.
Maguire in 'really positive' contract talks with United
Harry Maguire is discussing a new contract with Manchester United that would commit him to at least a seventh and eighth season at the club.
Unal's fabulous free-kick earns Bournemouth a point
Bournemouth simply do not know when they are beaten. The substitute Enes Unal powered an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner, seconds after West Ham snatched an unlikely lead courtesy of a contentious penalty.
'I'm at a turning point - now it's about me playing to see how far I can go'
Emma Raducanu was hit by injuries but now feels she has the setup to be able to enjoy life both on and off the court
Filer brings the thunder after lightning halts Proteas
England will go into day three of the Bloemfontein Test in a commanding position, after bowling South Africa out for 281 and increasing their lead to 145 by stumps.
Stokes' latest injury scare adds to England's bad day
On a day in Hamilton that was already foreboding by way of leaden skies, England's troubles deepened well beyond their bleak position at stumps.
Fury vows to focus on Usyk and cut back showboating
When I look in the mirror I don't see a quitter,\" Tyson Fury says as, having suffered the first defeat of his professional career in a dramatic world heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk in May, he is about to step back into the fire of their rematch this Saturday night in Riyadh. \"I see a man who would do anything to keep going. If I get knocked down nine times, I'll get up 10. If I didn't want to do that, I wouldn't be a boxer, I'd be doing something else, like playing darts. But this is my job.\"
Athletics has funding cut by £1.75m for LA Games buildup
UK Sport has denied putting UK Athletics on the \"naughty step\" after slashing its funding for the Los Angeles Olympic cycle by nearly £1.75m.
