CARCASSONNE, France (AP) – Thirteen years after his maiden stage win at the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish added yet another mass sprint to his tally and equaled Eddy Merckx’s all-time record of 34 stage wins on Friday.
Merckx amassed his wins in the 1960s and 70s, an era during which his domination was so outrageous that he earned the nickname of “The Cannibal.”
Unlike Merckx – who did it a record five times – Cavendish has never won the Tour.
“I don’t think I can ever be compared to the great Eddy Merckx, the greatest male road cyclist of all time,” he said.
Cavendish’s abilities are more limited, but his speed prowess and longevity among his fellow sprinters have no equal at the Tour. Particularly this summer, in the absence of teammate Sam Bennett, whom he replaced at the last minute – and after Caleb Ewan crashed out early in the race.