Sunday 26 October 2014 11:44, UK
Mark Cavendish says he is happy with the route of next year’s Tour de France and believes his team are capable of taking the yellow jersey during the first week.
Cavendish crashed out of this year’s Tour on home roads in Harrogate, meaning he was unable to add to his tally of 25 stage victories.
There should be a number of victory opportunities for Cavendish in the first week of the 2015 race, with stage two and stages five, six and seven having the potential to end in sprints.
In addition, there could be splits in the peloton due to crosswinds as the race heads through the Netherlands and along the north coast of France.
Cavendish believes his Omega Pharma - Quick-Step team – which will be renamed Etixx - Quick-Step next year – can take advantage of the re-introduction of time bonuses in the first week and also use their experience of riding in flat and windy conditions to get their riders into the race lead.
“I’m actually quite happy with this Tour. I think there are a fair few opportunities in the first week for the sprinters,” the 2011 world champion said.
“The time bonuses [for the first three riders on each stage] are back and maybe that gives us an opportunity to get the jersey.
“Especially with the team we have, with Omega Pharma-Quick Step we have the best team for the crosswinds in Zeeland, for the crosswinds in Normandy and for the cobbled stage to Cambrai.
“I’m actually really excited about it. There are a lot of stages in the mountains, they’re hard and we will have to go full gas but I wouldn’t say they [would cause us] to go home.”
