Mark Cavendish states desire to return to track cycling

Posted on August 5, 2012 by adminsports

Cavendish wants to return to track cycling after watching golden run

UPDATED:

19:13 GMT, 4 August 2012

World road race champion Mark Cavendish intends to return to the Olympic velodrome for the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 after being inspired by watching his Great Britain team-mates win gold in London.

The 27-year-old from the Isle of Man won the world title in Copenhagen last September and has 23 Tour de France stage wins but an Olympic medal is missing from his cycling CV.

Cavendish entered the 2008 Olympics as Madison world champion alongside Bradley Wiggins, but finished ninth, before finishing 29th in the road race on the opening day of London 2012.

Back on track: Mark Cavendish wants to ride in the Velodrome at Rio

However, he is tempted to return to the velodrome where his career began after watching Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh win Olympic gold yesterday.

He told Sky Sports News: 'I watched the guys and looked at the camaraderie and thought 'I want to be part of that again'. I've spoken to the coach (Dan Hunt) this morning.

Part of the team: Cavendish has been part of the road team with Ian Stannard, Christopher Froome, Bradley Wiggins and David Millar

'I don't think a road race would suit me too well around Rio but I'd love an Olympic gold and to share it with the guys I've grown up with. I'd like to push for a position at Rio in 2016.

'I'd like to be part of the team pursuit because I thrive working with other people, gaining their trust. I enjoy working like that and that's what I aim to do.'

The Olympic gold medal-winning quartet committed fully to the team pursuit, particularly since November and Cavendish's Team Sky colleagues Thomas and Kennaugh completed a road programme only to complement their track work.

Watching on: Cavendish has been working with the broadcast team in the velodrome

Cavendish would likely have to do something similar in Rio, therefore missing almost a full season of road racing.

He added: 'Before then I've got three or four Tours de France and 300 days on the road.

'In a lot of sports you work for four years to prepare for one goal but it's our day job and we've got to go out and perform on the circuit.

'I'm straight back racing next week. You have to prepare for a good year on the track but I think it's worth it to try to get an Olympic medal.'

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Cavendish loses road race

Posted on July 28, 2012 by adminsports

Heartbreak for Cavendish as Brit finishes outside medals

UPDATED:

14:48 GMT, 28 July 2012

Mark Cavendish was denied an elusive Olympic gold medal as the Brit failed to win the men's cycling road race.

The Brit was favourite for the race but the expected sprint finished did not materialise and from the breakaway group Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan emerged to win ahead of Colombia's Rigoberto Ura.

Cavendish had been led superbly by Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, David Millar and Iain Stannard but the pelaton was unable to peg back the leaders.

More to follow…

Underway: The men's road race started on The Mall on Saturday morning

/07/28/article-0-1442BF4B000005DC-442_964x640.jpg

Leading the way: The British team were ever present at the front of the pelaton

Here we go: The peloton race along The Mall past the Queen Victoria Monument

British train: Bradley Wiggins led the pelaton for much of the afternoon

On the climb: The men's road race included nine laps of Box Hill in Surrey

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Cavendish training on Box Hill

Posted on July 26, 2012 by adminsports

Bring it on! Cavendish and Co on Box Hill as sprint star targets road race glory

UPDATED:

14:45 GMT, 26 July 2012

.olympicStats1038148 background:url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07_04/bckg308x110.jpg) no-repeat top left; display:block; width:308px; height:110px; padding:0; font-weight:bold
.olympicStats1038148 ul width:98%; padding:2px; list-style:none; position:relative; top:86px; left:6px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif
.olympicStats1038148 ul li a padding:0 2px; font-size:11px; color:#0cac0c; text-decoration:none
.olympicStats1038148 a:hover text-decoration:underline
.olympicStats1038148 ul li float:left; list-style-type: none; padding: 0;

LIVE RESULTS |
EVENT SCHEDULE |
MEDALS TABLE

Mark Cavendish and his Great Britain team-mates took a good look at Box Hill during a training session on Thursday as the sprint king prepares for Saturday's gold medal bid.

Cavendish is the heavy favourite for the road race with David Millar, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins charged with the task of delivering the Manx star to a grandstand finish on The Mall.

The 250km race also starts on the famous
old route outside Buckingham Palace and takes in Putney Bridge,
Richmond Park and Hampton Court.

Team spirit: Great Britain riders (left to right) Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and David Miller

From there it's on to nine loops around Box Hill before heading back through Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston and Richmond Park.

Box Hill is the most challenging part of the course and is where the Team GB stars expect most of the attacks to come.

But Cavendish is a man on a mission after leaving Beijing as the only member of the track team without a medal and is leaving nothing to chance with just two days to go.

Meanwhile, Lucy Martin will perform a selfless role in support of Great Britain team-mate Lizzie Armitstead when the women take to the road on Sunday.

Final preparations: Great Britain's riders on the road race course at Box Hill

As demonstrated in the Tour de France, when Cavendish collected bottles for Wiggins, who repaid his Team Sky colleague by leading him into finishes and wins in Brive-la-Gaillarde and Paris, cycling is very much a team pursuit.

Sunday's 140-kilometre women's road race, which also starts and finishes on The Mall, will be unpredictable and Britain need to adapt to how the event unfolds on the road.

Martin has been selected specifically to ride alongside and look after Armitstead, who is the nominated leader if the race finishes in a sprint, with 2008 champion Nicole Cooke, who will be given licence to roam, and Emma Pooley completing the team.

Martin said: 'I'll be there to support Lizzie, anything she needs. Just protect her, keep her out the wind and make sure she doesn't have to exert herself too much until the final moment.'

While cycling is a team sport, individuals are rewarded the medals.

Pedal power: Cavendish prepares for his road race gold medal bid

Women's road coach Chris Newton said: 'For any athlete to commit so much to not win and to put another athlete in a winning position, it's almost like you're rewarding a striker in football and the rest of the team getting nothing.'

The role is easier for Martin to fulfil as the 22-year-old from Widnes and Armitstead are close friends, who train and race together all year round.

'I race with her the whole year, we share a room all the time, so I know her really well,' Martin added.

'That's really helpful for in the race – she can just look at me and I know how she's feeling.'

Martin and Armitstead were selected on Britain's provisional list on June 13 and a week later confirmed in the final squad.

Here come the girls: (from left) Nicole Cooke, Lucy Martin, Elizabeth Armitstead and Emma Pooley

Earlier in the month Martin had taken a photograph on her mobile phone of The Mall during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and sent it to Armitstead, heightening the excitement and nerves of her team-mate ahead of the Games.

'That was a nice, inspiring photo,' Martin said. 'The Jubilee was a nice warm-up to see how big it can be on that finishing section, with the flags and everything.

'Even now I think it's going to be big. But when I get there it's going to be bigger than I can imagine.'

More than one million people are expected to line the course for the men's road race on Saturday's opening day, 24 hours before Martin, Armitstead, Cooke and Pooley begin their bid for success.

It will give the women's team the opportunity to assess not only the route, but also to prepare themselves for what to expect when they take to their bikes.

They will also be keen to see how their male team-mates perform, with Cavendish among the favourites for the 250km race, which features a gruelling nine ascents of Surrey's Box Hill, as British cycling bids to build on Wiggins' Tour triumph in the first weekend of the Games.

'I can see how huge it is then,' Martin said. 'At first I thought I wouldn't watch the men's race, but I think I'm going to need to turn it on and shout at the TV.'

Bradley Wiggins wins Tour de France as Mark Cavendish wins stage

Posted on July 22, 2012 by adminsports

Wiggins secures historic Tour de France triumph as Cavendish wins final stage

UPDATED:

16:28 GMT, 22 July 2012

Bradley Wiggins has become the first British Tour de France champion – and celebrated his success by leading Mark Cavendish to victory in Paris.

Wiggins completed his 13th day in the yellow jersey and the 99th Tour in first place, three minutes 21 seconds ahead of Team Sky colleague Chris Froome, who became the second Briton, after his team-mate, on the podium in the history of the race.

Not content with his personal success, Wiggins played an integral role as world champion Cavendish won the 120-kilometre 20th stage from Rambouillet, sealing victory on the Champs-Elysees for a fourth consecutive year.

Triumphant: Bradley Wiggins celebrates as he crosses the line in Paris

Top of the tree: Wiggins (centre) is crowned Tour de France champion after three weeks on the road

Cheers: Bradley Wiggins is congratulated by team-mate Michael Rogers after winning the Tour de France

It was the seventh British stage success of the 2012 Tour, with Cavendish finishing with three wins, Wiggins with two, Froome with one and David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) one.

All four Britons, together with Ian Stannard, are due to combine on Saturday in a bid to help Cavendish win Olympic gold in the 250km road race on the opening day of London 2012.

Cavendish has won on the French capital's most famous boulevard in each of the Tours he has completed – in 2009, 2010, 2011 and now in 2012.

Magnifique: Mark Cavendish celebrates his fourth successive win on the Champs-Elysees

Out in front: Cavendish sprints for the finish line to win his 23rd stage of the Tour de France

Mark Cavendish celebrates

Bradley Wiggins of Britain, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey is followed by teammate Mark Cavendish

Perfect ending: Cavendish celebrates his fourth successive win in Paris as Wiggins leads him out (right)

The 27-year-old from the Isle of Man, who also won stages two and 18, now has 23 Tour stage wins, moving above Lance Armstrong and Andre Darrigade into fourth place in the all-time list.

It was a remarkable effort for the Manxman, who spent much of the Tour in the service of Wiggins.

Wiggins repaid the favour, taking to the front with 1.1km remaining, with Edvald Boasson Hagen assuming the lead 600 metres out.

Tour de France 2012 winner, Yellow jersey British Bradley Wiggins, (C) kisses his wife Catherine

Fans dressed as Bradley Wiggins celebrate as the cyclist became the first British rider to win the Tour de France during the Investec first test match at the Kia Oval

Party time: Wiggins with his wife Cath (left) while fans at the England v South Africa cricket match celebrate

Teamwork: Bradley Wiggins in his yellow jersey with his Sky team-mates during the final stage

Unrivalled: Cavendish is honoured after winning his third stage of this year's Tour de France

Cavendish came to the front in the rainbow jersey 400 metres from the line and powered to a supreme victory.

Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) was second, with Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) third.

Wiggins' imperious victory in the penultimate day's time-trial meant that, barring a freak accident, he would create history.

Family affair: Cavendish celebrates with his daughter Delilah Grace after winning the final stage

Funny farm: Wiggins is joined by several sheep as the Tour de France comes to an end

Team Sky's livery had morphed overnight to become yellow, with Wiggins' bike also yellow as Britons lined the route.

The stage was set to be a procession to the Champs-Elysees, where the sprinters would contest the finish.

As is tradition, the stage was ridden at pedestrian pace until the peloton entered Paris.

British one-two: Wiggins celebrates with team-mate Chris Froome who finished second in the Tour

The end is in sight: The pelaton races towards the Eiffel Tower as the Tour de France comes to its conclusion

Wiggins posed for pictures with the leaders of the classifications – points leader Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), King of the Mountains leader Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) and best young rider Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing), wearing green, polka dot and white jerseys, respectively.

Wiggins also rode alongside 2011 Tour champion Cadel Evans, a man the Londoner took inspiration from while watching at home after crashing out of the first week with a fractured collarbone.

Wiggins' Team Sky colleagues shared in the limelight, with the Londoner indebted to his seven colleagues for their support since the June 30 start in Liege.

Brit pack: British fans await the finish of the final stage of this year's Tour de France

Jerseys: Tejay van Garderen (young) Wiggins, Peter Sagan, (sprinter) and Thomas Voeckler (climber)

George Hincapie, riding in his 17th consecutive and final Tour before retirement, led the peloton on to the Champs-Elysees for the first of eight laps.

Alongside Hincapie (BMC Racing), who supported Lance Armstrong in each of his seven victories from 1999 to 2005, was Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek).

Team Sky's full eight-man squad were behind, with Cavendish sandwiched between Wiggins and Froome as the day's racing began.

Champagne moment: Wiggins takes a drink of bubbly from his team car during the final stage

Eleven riders joined together in an attempt to foil a sprint finish.

With two laps to go three – Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek), Rui Costa (Movistar) and Sebastien Minard (Ag2r La Mondiale) – went clear as their breakaway colleagues were caught.

The trio were caught with 2.6km remaining, with Michael Rogers the first of four Team Sky riders leading the peloton.

Champion: Wiggins leads out Cavendish to win the final stage of the Tour de France

A frantic finale ensued, but Team Sky took over in the final kilometre and Cavendish finished off a stunning three weeks for Britain with a sensational win, as Wiggins claimed an historic success.

BRITS IN YELLOW

BRADLEY WIGGINS (2012, 13 days)

Finished second on the opening prologue and moved into the maillot jaune on stage seven in an imperious performance.

CHRIS BOARDMAN (1994, three days; 1997, one day; 1998, two days)

Won the Tour prologue on three occasions to enjoy spells in yellow.

DAVID MILLAR (2000, three days)

Like Boardman, Millar took the yellow jersey on his Tour debut after a prologue success.

SEAN YATES (1994, one day)

A short-lived spell in yellow came towards the end of his career.

TOM SIMPSON (1962, one day)

The first Briton to wear the maillot jaune.

ALL-TIME STAGE WINS

Mark Cavendish claimed the 23rd Tour de France stage win of his career when he won in Paris on Sunday.

In doing so, he surpassed the tally of seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong.

Here, Sportsmail lists the all-time record stage winners at the Tour.

Eddy Merckx (1969 to 1975) – 34 stage wins

Bernard Hinault (1978 to 1986) – 28

Andre Leducq (1927 to 1935) – 25

MARK CAVENDISH (2008 to present) – 23

Lance Armstrong (1993 to 2005) – 22

Andre Darrigade (1953 to 1964) – 22

Nicolas Frantz (1924 to 1929) – 20

Francois Faber (1908 to 1914) – 19

Bradley Wiggins revels in Tour de France win

Posted on July 22, 2012 by adminsports

Wiggins revels in Tour triumph after Brit cements his place in sporting history

UPDATED:

16:43 GMT, 22 July 2012

Bradley Wiggins was on top of the world after celebrating becoming the first British Tour de France champion by leading Mark Cavendish to victory in Paris.

Main man: Bradley Wiggins celebrates his historic win in the Tour de France

Bradley Wiggins of Britain wearing the yellow jersey celebrates his overall victory

'I'm still buzzing from the Champs-Elysees, it's so quick around there,' Wiggins told ITV.

'We had a job to do with Cav and we did it. What a way for him to finish it off.

'I've got to get used to that now (his place in cycling history being secured forever).

'It will take a while…..I'm just trying to soak up every minute of today as it goes along.

'It's very surreal at the moment. This sort of thing happens to other people, you never imagine it happens to you.

Brit special: Wiggins celebrates with team-mate Chris Froome who was second

'It's incredible. I bet I'll look back in years to come and think 'God, that was special'.'

The final-day triumph was the seventh British stage success of the 2012 Tour, with Cavendish finishing with three wins, Wiggins with two, Froome with one and David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) one.

All four Britons, together with Ian Stannard, are due to combine on Saturday in a bid to help Cavendish win Olympic gold in the 250-kilometre road race on the opening day of London 2012.

Cavendish has won on the French capital's most famous boulevard in each of the Tours he has completed – in 2009, 2010, 2011 and now in 2012.

Cavendish said: 'It's incredible. It couldn't be a more perfect end to an amazing Tour for me.

Finishing in style: Mark Cavendish celebrates winning the final stage in Paris

'We haven't just won the yellow jersey, we got first and second.

'We (Britain) won seven stages in total – that's one out of three stages won by a British rider.

'The guys in the Olympic team have one more job to do, but it's been an incredible few weeks for us.'

It was a remarkable effort for the Manxman, who spent much of the Tour in the service of Wiggins.

Wiggins repaid the favour, taking to the front with 1.1km remaining, with Edvald Boasson Hagen assuming the lead 600 metres out.

Cavendish came to the front in the rainbow jersey 400 metres from the line and powered to a supreme victory.

London 2012 Olympics: David Millar named in cycling squad

Posted on July 4, 2012 by adminsports

Second drug cheat gets Olympic call with cyclist Millar to join Chambers at Games

UPDATED:

09:56 GMT, 4 July 2012

David Millar has been named in Great Britain's five-man road cycling squad for London 2012 after the British Olympic Association were forced to drop their bylaw banning those with prior doping offences.

Millar, who served a two-year suspension from 2004 to 2006 after admitting to taking banned blood booster EPO, is set to make his first Olympic appearance since Sydney in 2000 in the road race on the opening day the Games, July 28.

The 35-year-old Scot is joined in the team by world champion Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome – all currently competing in the Tour de France – and British champion Ian Stannard.

Green light: David Millar will represent Great Britain at the Olympics

Wiggins and Froome have been selected for the August 1 time-trial at Hampton Court.

Steve Cummings, Ben Swift and Jeremy Hunt were cut from the initial eight-man long list announced on June 13, but could be required if illness, injury or loss of form affects any of the five riders named.

Since his suspension began just prior to the Athens Olympics, Millar has become a leading campaigner for drug-free sport.

He is set to support Cavendish's bid for Olympic gold in the 250-kilometre road race on July 28, with his experience crucial for an event which will be challenging to control.

Despite being Commonwealth Games champion, Millar was overlooked for the time-trial event.

The Olympic road race takes place six days after the Tour concludes in Paris.

First Cavendish, Wiggins, Froome (all Team Sky) and Millar (Garmin-Sharp) must negotiate the Alps and Pyrenees en route to the Champs Elysees.

Easy rider: Mark Cavendish

Ride away: Bradley Wiggins

Great expectations: Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins are tipped for glory

Wiggins is aiming to be the first British winner of the yellow jersey, then hopes to help Cavendish triumph on a gruelling nine-lap circuit which includes Box Hill in Surrey, before concentrating on his own bid for a fourth Olympic gold after three on the track.

'I'm happy to be a part of it,' said Wiggins, who will be riding in his fourth Games.

Looking ahead: Team Sky cyclist Chris Froome

'We've got a good chance to win the road race with Cav and it's a London Olympics which makes it very special.

'I've also got a chance to go for my fourth gold medal in the time trial.'

Cummings, at the Tour riding for BMC Racing in support of defending champion Cadel Evans, had been expected to get a place, but Team Sky rider Stannard's June 24 British title success in Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, clearly impressed.

British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said: 'The final selection for the men's road race was a tough choice as we had a really strong squad of riders to pick from.

Hands on: British champion Ian Stannard completes the five-man squad

'We have selected the five riders who we believe are on the best form and will give us the fastest team for the race.

'All the riders selected have a gruelling few weeks coming up, with Ian due to ride in the Tour of Poland and the rest of the lads riding in the Tour de France, so we'll be keeping an eye on injury and form but for now, I am confident that we have picked the best team for the race.'

The selection completes the 27-rider cycling squad for the Games across four disciplines.

Ian Stannard finishes 7th in Tirreno-Adriatico time trial

Posted on March 14, 2012 by adminsports

Sky's Stannard finishes behind leaders in Tirreno-Adriatico time trial

UPDATED:

18:13 GMT, 13 March 2012

In the hunt: Ian Stannard of Sky finished 7th

Team Sky's Ian Stannard finished seventh in today's final time-trial stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico as Italy's Vincenzo Nibali stole the overall win.

Stannard completed the 9.3 kilometre course in Benedetto del Tronto in 10 minutes and 54 seconds – 18secs off pacesetter Fabian Cancellara's time.

Nibali was slower than the Team Sky man, finishing two places further back, but that was enough for the Liquigas-Cannondale rider to leap ahead of Chris Horner and claim the title by 14secs.

Thomas Lofkvist was the best-placed Team Sky rider in 14th place overall while the 24-year-old Stannard's performance today provided a boost ahead of Saturday's Milan-San Remo.

Mark Cavendish joins Team Sky squad for 2012 campaign

Posted on January 4, 2012 by adminsports

Cavendish looks to build on Tour success after joining new-look Team Sky squad

Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish heads a 10-strong British contingent in the Team Sky squad for 2012.

The Manxman, who won five stages on
last year's Tour, has been recruited from HTC-Highroad along with
Bernhard Eisel, Danny Pate and Kanstantsin Siutsou, four of eight new
additions in the 28-man roster.

Ride on: (L-R) Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Luke Rowe of Team Sky

Criterium du Dauphine winner and three-time Olympic goal-medallist Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome – who finished second, one place ahead of Wiggins, in last year's Vuelta a Espana – Geraint Thomas, Jeremy Hunt, Peter Kennaugh, Alex Dowsett, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Ben Swift complete the British contingent.

Team principal Dave Brailsford said: 'With Mark Cavendish joining riders like Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Edvald Boasson Hagen, we have a hugely talented squad of riders with proven ability at the very highest level of our sport.'

Cavendish (left) and Wiggins at Syon Park Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Sitting comfortably: Cavendish (left) and Wiggins at Syon Park Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Cavendish added: 'I could not be more excited about the coming season. In many ways it has felt like coming home, by joining Team Sky. I've grown up with many of the riders and management and they have shown in just two years how far they have come.'

Mark Cavendish joins Team Sky squad

Posted on January 4, 2012 by adminsports

Cavendish joins new-look Team Sky squad for 2012 campaign

Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish heads a 10-strong British contingent in the Team Sky squad for 2012.

Home boy: Mark Cavendish has joined Team Sky

Brit force: Bradley Wiggins

Sports Bound Guide

Sports Bound Guide. Fresh Sports News

Tag Archives: stannard

Mark Cavendish states desire to return to track cycling

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Cavendish loses road race

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Cavendish training on Box Hill

Bradley Wiggins wins Tour de France as Mark Cavendish wins stage

Bradley Wiggins revels in Tour de France win

London 2012 Olympics: David Millar named in cycling squad

Ian Stannard finishes 7th in Tirreno-Adriatico time trial

Mark Cavendish joins Team Sky squad for 2012 campaign

Mark Cavendish joins Team Sky squad