Mark Cavendish has started the 2009 season in the same way he ended the 2008 season, taking impressive victories in both the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of California.
The rider from the Isle of Man, who firmly established himself last season as the fastest sprinter in the peloton with 17 victories during the 2008 season, including two stages in the Giro d'Italia and four in the Tour de France, has already taken four victories in the 2009 season which is only a matter of weeks old.
Tour of Qatar Success
Cavendish's first win of the year came during the fourth stage of the 687 kilometre, week-long Tour of Qatar, a relatively new addition to the calendar popular with riders keen to escape the cold European winter.
The stage, a 141 kilometre ride from Doha Old Souq to Madinet Al Shamal, was won by the Brit in a little over four hours in a bunch sprint which saw him take a decisive victory over the race leader and eventual winner Belgian Tom Boonen.
The race was affected by the tragic death of Frederiek Nolf, a 22 year old Belgian rider who died in his sleep during the Tour, resulting in stage five being neutralised as a mark of respect.
With the race back on again for the sixth and final stage of the 2009 Tour of Qatar, Cavendish once again took to the front at the crucial time to record his second victory in three days. The stage, which was without the blight of high winds that had characterised the first five stages, again ended in a sprint with Cavendish this time prevailing over Robert Forster of Germany.
Cavendish Success at Tour Of California.
With an impressive two early victories under his belt, Cavendish pitched up at the Amgen Tour of California confident of adding to his season's tally.
The race, run over eight stages, is fast becoming one of the premier cycling events in the calendar held outside of Europe and boasted a very strong field with defending champion Levi Leipheimer's Astana team keen to feature prominently and defend his title.
Media coverage of the race was again high, not least because of the return of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong to competitive road racing on US soil in his second comeback race after his appearance in the Tour Down Under in January.
Cavendish took his first win in the race on stage four from Merced to Clovis winning in a photo finish over Tom Boonen before repeating his victory the next day in altogether more comfortable circumstances, claiming the spring by over a bike length. At the end of stage press conference Cavendish said, “I had to sprint extra hard today, I could see a shadow on my right and I thought it was Tom (Boonen) coming round but just looking back at the video I see I was actually sprinting against my own shadow, I actually could have taken it a bit easier in the sprint!”
With performances like these so early in the season, it looks like 2009 could be a long year for Cavendish's rivals.
References:
Tour de France website
Amgen Tour of California website
Giles Belbin - I am a part-time freelance writer with a regular series in a UK County magazine. I have a love of many sports but my particular passion is ...
