Were we to liken Mark Cavendish’s 2021 to a Hollywood movie we’d probably choose Rocky’s eventual belt-grabbing victory in Rocky 2, or Daniel-san’s crane-kicking triumph in Karate Kid, or perhaps Cole Trickle slingshotting up the inside to win the Dayton 500 in Days of Thunder. But it’s a very different style of movie that comes up when we speak to the Manxman about the aftermath of his barnstorming return to the Tour de France in which he won four stages.
“It was like a comedown. The emotion was so high for three weeks it was a massive crash actually, to just not be there anymore. Then you have to try and readjust to get back to normal.”
Did he need to sleep for a week? “No, I had four of the kids with me. I was up the next morning with the kids, following them around Paris. The three days following the Tour de France were more tiring than the three weeks before it,” he jokes. “But I loved it. The carnage is great. I’m from quite a small family but it’s great having the chaos, it’s like the opening scenes of Home Alone each morning.”
As he says this, the smile on his face is broad and warm. That’s not something fans or the press have seen much of in recent years. If you’re reading this you likely know the story by now but it’s worth swiftly recapping.
The sprinter spent two years grappling with the Epstein-Barr virus and at least with the Epstein-Barr another year with depression. As a result, between February 2017 and April this year, he won only a single race, a stage of the Dubai Tour in 2018. “A few people said maybe I should stop,” he says.
Denne historien er fra December 09, 2021-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
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Denne historien er fra December 09, 2021-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
UK SCENE - WUNDERKIND HUDSON WINS YORKSHIRE CX
Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain
