Tour de France - After losing the record: cycling idol Merckx congratulates Cavendish
Cycling icon Eddy Merckx congratulates Mark Cavendish for breaking his record of most stage wins at the Tour de France. "Congratulations, Mark Cavendish, on this historic achievement! What a great guy, who managed to beat my record," wrote the 79-year-old on the Instagram platform.
The 39-year-old former World Champion Cavendish decided the fifth stage of the 111th Tour de France in Saint-Vulbas on Wednesday and thus completed his historic mission: With his 35th stage win, the British surpassed Merckx and became the sole record holder.
Merckx celebrated 34 stage wins at the French Round Tour during his career. Among other things, he won the Tour five times between 1969 and 1974, won the overall victory at the Giro d'Italia five times, and became three-time World Champion.
- Eddy Merckx's record-breaking stage victories in the Tour de France have been surpassed by another cycling legend, Mark Cavendish, in the international UCI WorldTour.
- The stage victory in Saint-Vulbas during the 111th Tour de France marked Cavendish's 35th win, making him the sole record holder for most stage victories in the prestigious French race.
- The impressive achievement of Cavendish drew praise from cycling icons like Merckx, who acknowledged him on Instagram, congratulating the British cyclist for breaking his 34-year-old record.
- Known as one of the greatest cyclists in history, Merckx achieved numerous victories in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and World Championships, setting a high standard for future generations of cyclists.
