Eurosport - Sun, 05 Jul 20:04:00 2009
Mark Cavendish snatched his first Tour de France green jersey thanks to his stage win in Brignoles and made it clear he could thank team adviser Erik Zabel for it.
The Briton won the first mass sprint of this Tour, having had to wait five days last year for the first of his four stage victories.
As a result, in 2008 he was never really in a position to go for the points qualification, finally won by Spain's Oscar Freire.
"The green jersey is a big goal for any sprinter and it's beautiful and emotional to wear it," said Cavendish.
To take it all the way to Paris is another matter but the Manx can count on the very best adviser in his Team Columbia - Zabel who won the green jersey six times.
"I think nobody will disagree that Erik was the most consistent rider of his generation.
"At 24, I don't have as much experience. But if you combine my ability to sprint with Erik's experience, you've got the recipe for success," Cavendish said.
The German, who also won 12 stages of the Tour, was already a great help for Cavendish when his protege won Milan-San Remo in April, a race Zabel won four times.
"As for the green jersey, he won it countless times. We work so well together," added the Briton.
Yet Cavendish refused to get carried away and start considering taking the jersey all the way to Paris.
"It's the Tour de France, you already have to be content with winning one stage. Hopefully, I can win on the Champs-Elysees with the green jersey but it's a dream. I don't want to fix this as a target," he said.
In the meantime, the garment can play another useful role for Cavendish on the sunny days to come.
"An Englishman is the worst man to put in this heat. Green can cover my red body," he said.
Stage Three LIVE at 13:00 on Monday July 6 on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe
Comment 1 - 5 of 5
CAV is getting paid to do the job, a job he is doing very well, yes i know he is not so good in the mountains, not many sprinters are, if everybody was doing there job as good as CAV the world would be a better place,keep up the good work CAV, lets have some more stage wins.
Hmm, Worldwide are we to presume by your antagonistic tone, useage of the word 'butt' and derogatory opinion of British culture that you are perhaps an American? Do you not think that it is somewhat sad that the US tends to dominate most sports due entirely to morally suspicious sporting programmes with obscene amounts of money which take the place of real education and leave athletes with nothing to fall back on once their sporting career is over just so America can look good on the world sporting stage, and then to be pathetically narky when occasionally someone has the temerity to dominate a particular sporting discipline with natural talent instead of being churned out of a high-cost 'winners' factory? Cav may not win the Green this year, but he WILL make it to Paris, and he is a great ambassador for our sport. Grow up.
The legacy of Zabel will live on. One of the Best learning from one of the Best. Looking forward to the rest of the Tour!
Well, perhaps The Manx Man will prove insufficiently durable and quit before the peleton hits the Champs-Elysees. IF that happens, I suppose Worldwide's snarky comment might be validated. However, I've read that many people like Zabel say Cav is determined to reach Paris, green jersey or not. I wish him well and hope some other blokes win a few sprint as well. The Columbia lead out train is certainly impressive,(it looked like Farrar was without help at the end from his Garmin mates). Perhaps tomorrow will be more of a straight shoot out at the end if teams save themselves for the TTT on Tuesday's stage. I for one will be pleased if the Tour can finish with less news of doping than in years past, and remain close till the end. Having raced for six years years ago, and still putting in many miles for fun and to get to work I can only offer a tip of my hat to the strength, endurance, and will of many of these pros. I love cycling and appreciate what a labor of love it is to race and give one's all for winning or for one's mates.
Dear Diary, I am the best, everybody loves me, everyone is lining up to wipe my butt, I will be out by stage 17 preparing for the worlds and all the British will defend me, I will be a knight before too long, Oh it is so great to be me. Love Cav
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