Tour de France: Mark Cavendish issues statement after X-rated rant
Mark Cavendish has apologised to his mechanics after a video emerged of him swearing and shouting as he complained about his bike previous to stage 19 of the Tour de France on Friday.
The Manx missile – who has equalled Eddie Merckx’s report of 34 stage wins throughout a outstanding Tour – gave the impression to be sad with the steering on his just lately adjusted bike shortly earlier than the beginning of the race and screamed within the face of his mechanic.
He then stormed off, yelling on the mechanic to ‘Type it out now’ earlier than bellowing ‘F***ing hell!’ as he obtained again on the workforce bus, with TV cameras and close by followers catching the incident.
Stage 19 represented Cavendish’s penultimate probability to overhaul Merckx’s report earlier than Sunday’s remaining stage alongside the Champs-Elysees and tensions gave the impression to be working excessive, although the 36-year-old says there was no excuse for the best way he acted.
‘A lot of you’ll have seen the video from the beginning of at this time’s stage,’ he wrote on Instagram on Friday night, alongside an image of him along with his arms across the mechanics.
‘Throughout a day of the Tour de France, as riders we’re put in a dangerous scenario and I wished my bike to be good, so as to assist me keep protected.
‘My bike had some issues once I obtained on it this morning. Regardless of this, I shouldn’t have reacted in the best way that I did and never so publicly.
‘I’ve been extraordinarily shut associates with my mechanics for over a decade they usually’ve labored tirelessly to make sure I’ve at all times been protected and profitable.
‘Though they understand how quick I will be once I’m harassed, no-one, particularly these you care about, should have a voice raised to them.
‘Actually, one of many greatest components of the success of Deceuninck-QuickStep is that we’re a household, and we love and look after one another, and conversations ought to be stored inside that household.
‘We’ve got now spoken about what occurred and as a bunch the Wolfpack will do our greatest to have a profitable end to Tour de France 2021.’
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Mark Cavendish issues statement after X-rated rant at bike mechanic during Tour de France