Tour de France 2024: Emotional Mark Cavendish hailed after completing gruelling Stage 20 - 'I've got goosebumps'

Mark Cavendish was hailed by 'The Breakaway' team on Eurosport as he crossed the finish line of Stage 20. At the end of the Manxman's penultimate stage of the Tour de France, Orla Chennaoui, Sean Kelly and Robbie McEwen led the tributes for the record-breaking rider. Cavendish had completed 'Project 35' by Stage 5, and cut it fine to finish inside the time limit on multiple occasions this summer.

'One of the Monument names of cycling' - Cavendish rolls across line amid high emotion

Video credit: TNT Sports

A visibly emotional Mark Cavendish was hailed “one of the monument names” in cycling by Sean Kelly as ‘The Breakaway’ team on Eurosport reacted to the end of an era at the Tour de France.

Cavendish was pushed to the limit to complete the penultimate stage of his final Tour, and the tears flowed freely as he crossed the finish line with his Astana Qazaqstan team-mates.

The 'Manx Missile' snatched a record-breaking 35th career Tour de France stage win earlier this summer, eclipsing Eddy Merckx's tally of 34, in Saint-Vulbas on July 4.

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And Eurosport host Orla Chennaoui led the tributes to the 39-year-old, saying she had “goosebumps” thinking about the conclusion of his glittering career.

“We have seen all the emotions of Mark Cavendish’s heart and soul poured onto the roads of France throughout his career," said Chennaoui, on discovery+.

“This is a beautiful moment indeed, realising, of course I’m quite sure, what he has achieved, what he has been through to get to this moment – sheer relief to make it to the end of his final Tour de France, to put all the naysayers to bed, to have his name printed solo in the history books and to crown what has been an absolutely remarkable career.

Cavendish visibly emotional as he crosses line on final mountain stage of career

Video credit: TNT Sports

“I’ve got goosebumps thinking about the fact that this is it, tomorrow will be the end for Mark Cavendish.

“It's absolutely beautiful isn’t it? It’s a privilege to have been witness to this era in cycling.”

Cavendish had to dig deep to keep his hopes of completing his final Tour de France alive, battling 132.8km of hard climbing to finish inside the time limit.

On Stage 14, Cavendish crossed the line with just 1 minute 47 seconds remaining, and the mountainous terrain en route to the Col de la Couillole tested him to his limits on Saturday.

Australian 12-time stage winner Robbie McEwen noted the conflict of emotions on Cavendish’s face, a mixture of relief and heartache.

“He’s been so prolific throughout his career,” said McEwen. “It’s been a very long career, so many tours with all the ups and downs that we’ve documented along the way.

“In a way, this is a good way to go out because although there’s the emotion obviously at this moment, there must have been thoughts rolling around in his mind of ‘Oh I’m glad I don’t have to do this bit of it again’.

“But he can really thank his team a lot for getting him to this point and everything that has gone into this 'Project 35.'”

Cavendish’s 2023 Tour de France ended in a collarbone-snapping crash, with many believing it would be his final participation after hitting the tarmac during Stage 8.

And four-time green jersey winner Sean Kelly praised the Manxman for fighting against adversity and dubbing him “one of the monument names” in the sport.

“The ups and downs, last year crashing out – would he go on? Would he not go on? Starting the Tour, it looked like it was going to be a difficult one from day one,” added Kelly.

“The races now, these tours, they’re not easy for those sprinters and as you get older in your career, it gets much more difficult.

“You can see the emotion pouring out and Cavendish... he’s one of the monumental names for cycling.”

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