Britain’s Mark Cavendish is the “exceptional sprinter” of all time and can “definitely” ruin the record for Tour de France degree wins, says his Dimension Data teammate Bernie Eisel. Cavendish, 33, is four shy of Eddy Merckx’s all-time record of 34 Tour de France stage wins. However, he has struggled with Epstein Barr Virus and withdrew from the Paris-Nice in advance this month.

The document is what drives him and why he is still in the game,” stated Eisel. Speaking to the BBC’s BeSpoke Podcast, Eisel said: “If we appearance lower back, he has won possibly one hundred fifty races and 30 degrees inside the Tour, [he is] a world champion on the track, on the street, and quite a great deal received a level on each excursion obtainable and won one-day races. “He does not just do it anymore. However, he is chasing that file. Of course, that creates a variety of strains, but he’s managing it.

In August 2018, Cavendish announced he might take a total relaxation duration from cycling to conquer EBV – which causes glandular fever. He returned to action at the Vuelta a San Juan and the UAE Tour earlier this 12 months but pulled out of the Paris-Nice after days, after which he missed Milan-San Remo. On Wednesday, his team informed Cyclingnews they “did not understand” when he could next race.

For me, if we talk about guys like [Cavendish], Chris Froome and the opposite guys who have received races and come returned every 12 months, repeat it each year, I have the most important admire for them,” said Austrian Eisel, who remaining April had surgery on a mind hemorrhage he sustained in an accident. “The guys who nevertheless preserve triumphing, this is splendid. There is only a handful every decade who can try this. “I think if we look lower back at Cav, he has been doing it for almost 15 years, in individual teams, one-of-a-kind line-ups. “I assume that together with [Dimension Data teammate] Mark Renshaw, they are an excellent lead-out man and nice sprinter.”