Cavendish hoping for better as Tour de France sprint stages return
Stage 7 likely to be decided in bunch gallop





After a day off at the for the sprinters on stage 6 – if two ascents of the Mûr-de-Bretagne can be cal♔led a day off – it's back to business on 168澳洲5最🌳𝔍新开奖结果:stage 7 from Fougères to Chartres on Friday, when 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mark Cavendish will 🅷be looking to score his first win at this year's race.
Cavendish is chasing five-time Tour winner Eddy Merckx's record of 34 Tour stage wins, and the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Dimension Data sprinter's running tally currently stands at 30. He has been out of contention in the four sprint finishes at this year's race soꦫ far, which have been dominated by just two riders: Quick-Step Floors' Fernando Gaviria – who won stage 1 and stage 4 – and world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), winner of both stage 2 and stage 5.
Cavendish's best finish so far has been 21st on stage 4, but he told Cyclingnews that he's feeling "all right" and rea💛dy to go again on the 231km seventh stage between Fougèr⛄es and Chartres, which is also the longest stage of this year's Tour.
"The stages haven't been too tough," Cavendish said, "but then we haven't hit the mountains ye♎t. But it's the Tour de France – it's stressful."
On the stages when he's not been able to be in the mix, the 33-year-old said that it's been a case of dropping off the pace and keeping his powder dry for days when he can be competitive.
"It's smarter to be con🍰servative and clever with your energy than to have an ego and try to stay in the group," he said.
"Now there are a couple more sprint stages on the cards," said Cavendish, referring to Friday's stage and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Saturday's stage 8 from Dreux ✱to Amiens, on Bastille Day, which should again see a bunch sprint – the day before things really do turn tough with stag🌼e 9's cobbled sectors on the road from Arras to Roubaix on Sunday.
Is 🧜he feeling better than he had been 🤡in the early stages of the race?
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"I hope so," Cavendish said. "I don't particularly feel bad physically, so we'💛ll see what happens."