Mark Cavendish Abandons 2023 Tour de France on Stage 8

Mark Cavendish abandoned the 2023 Tour de France after a Stage 8 crash, prematurely ending his final Tour. Cavendish is tied with Eddy Merckx at 34 Tour de France stage wins—the most in history.

Cavendish announced in May that 2023 would be his final season in professional cycling and he will retire at the end of the year, so assuming he doesn’t change his mind, he will end his career tied with Merckx for the all-time Tour stage wins.

Cavendish was involved in a crash in the peloton and was lying on the ground, holding his clavicle. He was unable to finish the stage and officially made the decision to withdraw.

His abandonment comes one day after Cavendish nearly won a Stage 7 sprint, but an apparent mechanical issue cost him a shot at sole possession of the record.

Cavendish, now 38, broke into professional cycling in 2005. A few years later, he won his first Tour de France stage on Stage 5. He added three more stage victories during that 2008 Tour, establishing himself as the premiere sprinter in the world. In 2011, he won both the green jersey points competition at the Tour de France and the rainbow jersey as world champion.

Cav won TdF stages in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2021. In 2021, Cavendish enjoyed a comeback season, winning three stages to tie with Merckx for the all-time record.

In 2022, Cavendish was left off the Deceuninck–Quick-Step team for the Tour de France in a controversial decision by team manager Patrick Lefevere, so he didn’t get his shot to break Merckx’ record. He left the Quick-Step squad at the end of last year, and after months of contract speculation, he signed with Astana Qazaqstan for the 2023 season.

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