Mark Cavendish has already made the history of cycling, but he has no intention of setting limits and has an award within his reach that will once again consecrate him as a 360 ° sport icon. At the age of 36, the Isle of Man sprinter began his season as a pro by raising his arms to the sky in the second stage of the Tour of Oman and has many other milestones in his sights to conquer in the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl jersey. After the world titles, the Olympic medals, the classics and the points rankings collected in the grand tours, he is in fact among the candidates of the Laureus World Sports Awardsthe Oscars of sport.
Cavendish is one of the greats of sport
After solving his physical and mental health problems last season Cannonball equaled Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 stage wins in the Tour de France, earning the coveted selection, the result of voting by over 1300 journalists from around the world. Cav is vying for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year (Return of the year) together with my Dutch colleague Annemiek van Vleuten, which after the bad fall of Rio2016 has redeemed itself among rainbow jerseys, pink and the five circles conquered in the Tokyo2020 time trial. The two axes of the pedal will have to contend with other planetary champions such as the indomitable gymnast Simone Bilesthe eight-time world champion in motorcycling Marc Márquezthe diver Tom Daley and the very young skater Sky Brown.
«This nomination is an incredible recognition. Records are not my goal, every victory is simply the result of a great job. I don’t know if I’ll win another stage at Big loop or who knows how many other races, I know that each one is a conquest. I am convinced that, if you insist, sooner or later you will be rewarded. I am a lucky man, I have achieved numerous successes, but what matters most to me will always be the family. If my experience can be a example I’m really happy with that. I had to fight for a long time against the Epstein-Barr virus and mental disorders, both underestimated and initially not properly treated, ”Mark told us in connection from Abu Dhabi, where the UAE Tour will start tomorrow.
Mental health must be protected
“I didn’t think it was real, it has nothing to do with being strong or weak, it’s a disease and you can’t control it. Especially in the world of sport there is the belief that dealing with pressure and expectations are part of our job and, in some respects it is true, but when you are not in control you cannot handle them. There mental disease must be taken seriously, initially I didn’t do it myself. Among the nominees for this prestigious award is Simon Biles, whose history is equally exemplary. The hardest thing for me when I was really down was talking about it. Even if you have many people around who love you, you cannot explain how you feel, to express what you feel inside. Mental illness changes you for life, you never really get over it, you learn to live with it. The presence of psychologists sports within the teams for level athletes is important. Unfortunately, in society, relying on a specialist is still a luxury not for everyone “continues Mark, so the biggest victory is being able to continue to compete at high levels after more than 15 years of roller coaster joys and difficulties that he finally manages to talk to. the light heart.
In the DNA of a cyclist
The winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced in April, during a virtual ceremony, at the end of the voting of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the jury par excellence made up of 71 sporting legends including Fabian Cancellara, Chris Hoy and Miguel Indurain. Will a cyclist be able to win? «A runner is used to to lose much more than just winning. In a group we are many, it is pure statistics. Cycling is not tennis where you play one on one so one wins and one loses. It is not even comparable to Formula 1 or MotoGP, to talk about other sports that I am passionate about, in which an athlete has to contend with 20-25 rivals – explains Cav. – You’re used to fighting, trying again, getting back up. It’s in the cyclist’s DNA. I know Annemiek personally (in the image Mark is watching as a simple fan the passage of the Women’s Tour of Britain, ed), her dedication explains why she wins so much and has returned to the highest levels. Our stories are yet another proof that we shouldn’t never give up. “Fight for what you want” is what I try to teach my children every day».
Cycling makes you happy
The first patron of the laureus World Sports Awards Nelson Mandela said “Sport has the power to change the world”. Today one could add: “The bicycle will save the world”. “Thanks to the Qhubeka Charity I learned that one bicycle can make the difference for a child between going to school or not, for a doctor between being able to save a life or not making it on time. Without taking into account the current ecological and sustainability aspects, pay attention to it, anyone who rides a bike smiles. This alone can certainly make the world a more joyful place to live»Concludes Mark, finally again cwith the smile on the lips and the eyes that shine.