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2009 News Archive
MARK COMES FOURTH IN BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
14th December 2009
Congratulations to Mark who came fourth in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year contest on Saturday night. Over 55,000 people voted for the Manx Missile, who was the only cyclist to make the prestigious shortlist this year.
Mark narrowly missed out on scooping the third place trophy which instead went to heptathlete star Jessica Ennis. Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button came second in the public vote, with the award ultimately going to footballer Ryan Giggs.
Thank you to everyone who voted for Mark on the night. If his successes this season are any sort of indicator, 2010 looks set to be Cav’s year…
SHORTLISTED FOR SPOTY
1st December 2009
Mark has made it to the top 10 for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Check out the underground filming on BBC Sport.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be nominated for the Sports Personality award. And to be the only cyclist on the list makes it an even bigger honour, especially after so many great performances by other British riders. To be recognised by an award like this, in my home country, is really special.”
When asked about his chances of winning, Cavendish replied, “It would be amazing to win, but we’ll have to wait and see how the public vote on the night. There are some awesome athletes up for the award and I’m just chuffed to be nominated alongside them. It’s going to be a really good night.”
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009 ceremony will be broadcast live from Sheffield Arena on Sunday 13th December.
MARK VOTED EUROSPORT'S RIDER OF THE YEAR
25th November 2009
Mark’s acknowledgements continue, with a new Eurosport ranking naming him Rider of the Year.
The Eurosport rankings are based on points awarded for top 10 race finishes, top 20 finishes in major Tours, stage and jersey wins. Mark finished the season at the top of the pack with an astounding points total of 3,193 for his 23 victories this year. He beat Tour de France winner Alberto Contador to first place by 128 points.
While Mark’s impressive performances at Milan-San Remo, Giro d’ Italia and the Tour de France alone could warrant such an honour, Eurosport deemed his ability to race at a high level from January to September as the distinguishing factor from the other candidates. Mark’s accomplishments were also instrumental in helping his team Columbia-HTC take home Eurosport’s 2009 number one team ranking.
INTERNATIONAL AWARD A FITTING END TO A WINNING SEASON
26th October 2009
Mark was named International Cyclist of the Year at a Belgian awards ceremony this month, where judges included team managers, sporting directors and media personalities.
“It’s a tremendous honour to get this award,” Cav told journalists afterwards. “You just look at the names of the people who have received this prize before, like Fabian Cancellara last year, and you can see how special it really is.”
The awards caps off a very successful 2009 road season for Mark in which he took 25 wins, despite a brief spell of illness when a lung infection ruled him out of the Tour of Missouri. Ten of these were Grand Tour stage wins, including six at the Tour de France and the team time-trial at the Giro d’Italia. He also claimed victory at the Milan-San Remo, an achievement which he described as ‘the most beautiful day of my life’.
Mark finished the season ranked 8th in the 2009 UCI Individual World Rankings, and helped his team Columbia-HTC to 3rd in the Team Rankings. With Mark intending to build on his successes next season, it surely won’t be long before we see him in the top five…
MARK WITHDRAWS FROM MISSOURI WITH LUNG INFECTION
10th September 2009
Team Statement
"Mark withdraws with deep regret from the Tour of Missouri," Columbia boss Bob Stapleton said in a statement. "As he has stated it's one of his favorite events and also for team Columbia HTC."
"Mark has been fighting an infection since travelling to the USA, which has spread to his lungs. He has had a long and successful season and it is a team priority that his general health be protected. He is on antibiotics and will rest here in Missouri for a few days prior to returning to Europe."
MARK TAKES STAGE 1 IN MISSOURI
7th September 2009
Mark had to improvise in the sprint finish in stage 1 of the Tour of Missouri as team mate George Hincapie hit a pothole in the run in. Mark followed the wheel of main rival Thor Hushovd instead and sprinted round the Norwegian for victory.
"George [Hincapie] hit a pothole with about 200 metres to go and he was obviously in pain immediately," said Mark. "I told him to ease off and I jumped on Thor's wheel as he got a lead-out from his team-mates. I got on Thor's wheel and it was just a case of coming off his wheel and coming around him as close to the line as I could to save energy. It was an uphill, headwind finish and I think that plays to my advantage, to get the jump".
Photo from cyclingnews.com
"It's great around here and there is so much support for me and my team that makes it special to be here,” he added. “There’s nothing more depressing than going to a race with dead roads and a dead finish. It was a beautiful thing to be a part of, all the people down the finish straight were tremendous."
Catch the full race report on cyclingnews.com
STAGE VICTORY IN TOUR OF IRELAND
22nd August 2009
A stage victory in the Tour of Ireland ensured that Mark has scored a victory in every stage race he has participated in this year.
"It was a tough course, actually," Mark said afterwards. "But once things came back together, it was a formality, really. The team was great. They are a super group of guys. We are not just team-mates, we are friends too. That morale makes things easier and if one has success, it is success for all.
"It's always good to win. Although it was a tough finish we managed to take control of things with two kilometres to go. It was a team victory; one guy crosses the line with his arms in the air, but it's a success for everybody."
Catch the full race report on cyclingnews.com
RIGHT TO PLAY EDINBURGH TO LONDON CHALLENGE RIDE
18th August 2009
Mark visited Edinburgh on Tuesday 18th August to send off 100 intrepid cyclists at the start of the Right to Play Edinburgh to London Challenge Ride. As well as offering some words of encouragement to the riders Mark took Miss Scotland for a quick spin before she started the event.
HISTORIC 6 VICTORIES AS MARK TAKES GLORY ON CHAMPS ELYSEES
26th July 2009
A massive congratulations to Mark who finished the Tour in style finishing as he began with a sprint victory. That takes the final tally at 6 and at only 24 years of age there will be plenty more to come. Mark is already talking of 2010 with the green jersey next on the list as he builds a stunning palmares. Catch the full race report on cyclingnews.com
Photo from cyclingnews.com
MARK MAKES IT 5 WITH PARIS STILL TO COME
25th July 2009
After a brief interlude of chasing the Green Jersey Mark returned to his original objective yesterday (24th July)... of winning stages. The 5th victory in this year's Tour was the most unexpected with Mark making the cut over the final category 2 climb.
"To go early with 260 metres is hard to do with a slightly uphill finish" he said. It was one of the hardest sprints I've had to do, and it made it quite emotional at the finish,"
Photo from cyclingnews.com
"I've won harder stages than today – Milan-Sanremo, for instance – but after three weeks of racing, it wasn't necessarily going to be a bunch sprint. We saw Rabobank [riding for Freire] didn't think I could get over the climb; I think that's why they pulled full-gas.
"But, I told the guys in the bus this morning, ‘I'm going to give it one last go – you got to stay with me on the climb'. It was really, really grim on the climb, but I got over it. I said the top of the climb was my finish line, and anything after that was going to be a bonus."
UNSTOPPABLE
16th July 2009
Mark cruise to his fourth stage victory of this year's Tour after back to back wins in stages 10 and 11. After stage 12 today he now also takes the green jersey back from Thor Hushovd. Can anyone stop the Manx Express?
MARK'S BOMBER CRUISING AT THE TOP OF THE POINTS LEADERBOARD
8th July 2009
After a second stage win in stage 3 and third spot in stage 5 Mark is building a solid early lead in the green jersey points competition. He currently sits at the top of the leaderboard with 96 points. Thor Hushovd is not too far behind on 70 points with Tyler Farrar on 54.
More imprortantly - how sweet Mark's new paint job and logo look on his Scott bike (the lady is abelle in a bomber design FYI)
Photo from cyclingnews.com
TOUR DE FRANCE: VICTORY IN STAGE 1
7th July 2009
Mark didn't make the same mistake that he made at the Giro earlier this year ensuring that he sprint in stage 1 of the Tour was certainly far from lazy. With a perfect lead out train from Hincapie and Renshaw it looked like only Tyler Farrar was left to threaten Mark at the finish. However, the overhead shot showed Mark pulling away over the line as the pace was just too much for anyone to come close.
Mark acknowledged he's got great form and made the team aware of this. "When we put two guys in front it means we mean business... Today we meant business," he said after the finish.
Photo from cyclingnews.com
STAGE 6 WIN AT TOUR DE SUISSE
18th June 2009
Mark won the sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse in Bad Zurzach over Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre - N.G.C.). Team Columbia-Highroad teammate George Hincapie led him up to the final 175 metres.
"It was easy to win here today," said Cavendish. "Hincapie brought me good into position and I moved around Hushovd."
The sprinter admitted that he was "quite tired" going into the stage. He called the closing course "difficult, technical and challenging" and said that the last few kilometres were "very physical."
"There was a second category climb at the beginning of the stage and a headwind for most of the day," said Cavendish. "It made it a very hard day for me, but it was all worth it. I came to the Tour of Switzerland because it's the best way to prepare for the Tour de France for me and because I wanted to do some climbs. So far it's going very well.
Full report on cyclingnews.com
THE WINNING CONTINUES AT THE TOUR DE SUISSE
15th June 2009
Team Columbia-Highroad continued to win the sprints at the Tour de Suisse, with Mark Cavendish taking the honours in the third stage in Lumino. The Brit finished ahead of Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam).
"It was another perfect win for us and having four riders there to help me in the last three kilometres showed how good and strong we are as a team," Mark said.
"It was a great lead-out and all the guys worked perfectly. Thor Hushovd tried to get a jump on me but I was able to get him before the line."
MARK CRUISES TO SECOND GIRO STAGE WIN
20th May 2009
Mark gets the perfect lead out from Edvald Boasson Hagen and Mark Renshaw to take a superb second Giro stage bringing back memories from Milan San Remo.
“Going through the tunnel at the top of the Turchino was quite special. It was were Milan-San Remo really stated and it brought back some nice, happy memories,” Mark said after his win.
“I was a bit worried that I would suffer on the Turchino and thought it was going take the sting out of my legs but it's unbelievable when you can smell the finish and how deeper you can go,”
“I was put in good position to have some sliding room but didn't need it. To be honest I seemed to be floating up there. It was perfect.”
“It's a nice descent and so I was more relaxed because I was near the front and then the team placed me in perfect position. I didn't want a repeat of the first stage and so hit out early. When it kicked up I said 'oh-ho' but I managed to keep going and win. I seem to be in better form that I thought I was…”
Mark celebrates his 24th birthday tomorrow!
TEAM WINS OPENER IN GIRO TO PUT MARK IN PINK
10th May 2009
Team Columbia put in a superb collective effort in the centenary Giro opening stage covering the 20.5km TTT course in 20.50. It was a mere six seconds that gave them the edge of second placed Garmin but this was enough to give Mark and the team the first leaders jersey of the race.
"I wear the maglia rosa for the whole team tomorrow," said Mark.
"The next few days will be sprints, which will suit me and the team. Obviously, the pressure's off because of today, but we'll try for more wins. I've got no problems wearing this shirt, so I'll keep going as long as I can."
Italian style - Mark with Giro jersey designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce
Comments on Cycling Weekly
“There's only one pink jersey and it's has to go on someone's back. The team let me cross the line first because I live in Italy and it's special for me. That's a great thing,” he said.
“I'm wearing the jersey for the whole team. It's a team time trial and it just happened that someone had to cross the line first. If there were nine maglia rosa we could all wear them but there's only one, so I'll wear it for whole team tomorrow. If I win tomorrow, then I can enjoy the gratification of being the first British wearer.”
“I'm just so proud about how everything went. When we did our first team time trial training, it was rebuilding a vespa engine. We took it apart, cleaned it and it started first time. We did an effort on Thursday and everything worked perfect and I got the same proud warm feeling when everything goes right.”
“I was nervous and worried about every team in the race. Astana were one of the favourites and were last, so I had to wait for them to finish. I watched the race on television near the finish line. I had doping control and couldn't go to the toilet, so it was pretty hard not to wee for two and half hours."
MARK'S INTERVIEW ON BBC INSIDE SPORT
7th May 2009
An extended version of the Inside Sport Mark Cavendish interview where he talks about his disappointment at the Beijing Olympics, and how road cycling is doing all in its power to fight drugs cheats - Watch the full programme on www.bbc.co.uk
TWO STAGES IN DE PANNE
3rd April 2009
Mark put the disappointment of no victory at the World Track Championships behind him this week as he stormed to victory in stages 2 and 3a of the KBC-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde, The double header matches Mark's performance in the 2008 edition of the race.
"I am very happy that I did the double, like last year. Racing here in Belgium is great, the spectators are so enthusiastic."
MARK WINS MILAN-SANREMO
21st March 2009
Mark sprints to victory ahead of Heinrich Haussler to teke the biggest win of his career so far:
"It's the most beautiful day of my life. I didn't expect to win. I couldn't dream of anything better."
"Hincapie helped me enormously, but the whole team stayed with me on the climbs. When Haussler broke away at top speed I was scared, but it makes the victory even sweeter."
Cav and mentor Erik Zabel. Photo ©: Sirotti/www.sirotti.it
Interview from cyclingnews.com:
Q: You won Milano-Sanremo at the first attempt. It took Mario Cipollini 13 times before he got the win. What did he say to you at the finish?
Mark: "He came and congratulated me. He is a nice guy. I nearly made a mistake in California last year, but we worked it out over the winter when we trained together a few times. He is a nice guy. I know it [took him 13 years to win]. I know, I know... But I am sorry."
Q: What did Erik Zabel say to you at the end? You trained with him a lot in the days leading up to the race.
Mark: "Erik came up to me and said he got this [a silver bracelet] as a gift when he won his first Milano-Sanremo. He gave it to me today. I can say that without his help I would not have won today. We did reconnaissance twice and I knew where I had to be at what time in the race's finale. You could see from the team's emotions that we knew it could work, and it did. It is a real special day for us both."
Read the full feature on cyclingnews.com>
STAGE VICTORY TIRRENNO ADRIATICO
18th March 2009
Mark won the final stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico Tuesday in San Benedetto del Tronto in a bunch sprint over Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) and Baden Cooke (Vacansoleil). The 169-kilometre stage was the Briton's fifth win of the season and bodes well for the Milano-Sanremo one-day Classic in four days.
"The other day I thought it would be my day, but I was beaten on the line," said Cavendish.
Read the full report on cyclingnews.com>
Photo copyright Riccardo Scanferla
SPRINT CLASSIFICATION IN CALIFORNIA
24th February 2009
Mark has shown no signs of slowing down with an excellent result in the Tour of California winning two stages (4 and 5) and the overall sprint classification.
Thanks to Karen Kirkpatrick who caught an amusing moment on camera at Paso Robles. Mark has just thrown his flowers into the crowd which deflected off a roof and smacked an unlucky spectator on the head... the podium girl seems amused!
Photo copyright Karen Kirkpatrick
20th February 2009
From cyclingnews.com
Mark delivered a second stage win to his Columbia-Highroad squad in the fifth stage of Tour of California, once again getting the better of Quick Step's Tom Boonen in the bunch sprint.
"This was the stage I was targeting since we got here, it worked out perfectly," he said. "The guys worked so well for us. It was touch and go whether we were going to get the break back. Again it was George [Hincapie] and Mark Renshaw - once I get dropped off in that position there's no way I can do anything but win."
Read all of Mark's comments on cyclingnews.com>
Photo copyright Jonathan Devich / epicimages.us
2009 VICTORY NUMBER 1 IN TOUR OF QATAR
4th February 2009
From cyclingnews.com
Mark delivered in the first head-to-head showdown with Tom Boonen of 2009. The Briton fought strong winds to claim Tour of Qatar stage four over Heinrich Haussler, Boonen and Filippo Pozzato in Qatar's northern city of Madinat Al Shamal.
"With gale-force winds at over 60 kilometres an hour I can't sail from the Isle of Man to England, yet I raced in a 70-kilometre wind today," he said.
Despite the crosswinds, Mark's Team Columbia-High Road closed on the lead group in the final five kilometres of the 141-kilometre stage from Doha. A left turn at 2200 metres remaining set up the riders for a sprint showdown.
Mark fought for space on the right-hand side of the road with Team Quick Step's Boonen to his left. Team Cervélo's Haussler benefited from the rivalry to get second.
CYCLINGNEWS.COM FEATURE INTERVIEW
Can anybody challenge Cavendish in the 2009 sprints?
An interview with Mark Cavendish, January 3, 2009
Daniel Friebe
"Cocky", "brash", "arrogant" – you can say what you like about Mark Cavendish, but the statistics don't lie, and those statistics back up the Manxman's repeated assertions that he's merely stating a fact when he calls himself the fastest man in road racing. At the end of a winter break which turned out a little more restful than he expected or wanted, on his return from his team's first training camp of the winter in December, Cavendish spoke to Procycling's Daniel Friebe about some of the challenges which await him in 2009.
Read the full article on www.cyclingnews.com>
