Original subtitles

This is very dramatic for the man who at 38 still

held the hope of winning an historic 35th stage.

It's the end of a dream.

I think you've been this way, that way and everywhere in between since it happened.

I've known you long enough and if you cut Mark, he bleeds a tour de France.

Of course you don't want to finish like that, but at 38, it's hard.

I also know what it takes to be able to do that sprint.

It's not just a day's training, it's not a week's training.

I don't want crashing out to be the end of my career.

I've won 34 stages of the Tour de France.

If I had 35, I'd have the most stage wins in history.

Or do you think they should really carry on?

Can you go back on a retirement announcement?

I don't think anyone would be like, well, why is

he going to say he's going to do another year?

And to be honest, even if they did, who gives a fuck?

Who gives a fuck?

Where have you chosen to come back to the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is...

It's the only bike race in the world that gets me emotional.

Like, crazy emotional.

I'm throwing everything into one last crash.

Of course I'm going for the record.

So I started training again.

It took a bit longer to get on the bike than a normal collarbone break would.

There were days when I was loving being back on my bike, and there were days when

I was like, you're struggling because it's hard to get back.

So everything was geared towards starting the Tour de France.

So today we're doing some over-under thresholds, because

they need to survive the climbs on the Tour de France.

It's a bit harder.

Is it?

Yeah, it's a bit harder.

Good job we're hard then, innit?

Yeah.

We're talking about, we were quite lucky we're not going to be doing it much longer.

When we were young, you just had to train.

If you trained, you were good.

Now you have to train and...

I don't know how to choose.

It's modern cycling, man.

Modern cycling.

Alright, see you later.

The difficulty I have now is, it gets harder as you get older.

To get sharp, to get the ability to win, to get the ability to go.

Whenever these young guys go and go, it gets harder and harder.

My team, they were built around me.

Of course I'm stressed, you know.

We've got one goal, and there's quite a bit to be stressed about.

Kev, he looks really fit.

I'm getting very confident in him winning stage in the Tour de France.

This year, it's all or nothing for us.

It's a big gamble, because everything is staked on a sprinter who's getting older,

who hasn't necessarily had much success in recent years.

I mean, it could be a very risky bet.

The sponsors pay for a rider to win.

If Mark Cavendish doesn't rise to it, it

could mean jeopardy for the whole of the team.

There's absolute phenomenal human beings in the sprint with incredible power.

Jasper Filhamsen is a man that you have to beat after the last couple of years.

Oh, the whole company is here.

Everybody wants to see Mark win his 35th stage.

This will be history.

It will be a really great achievement if he can do so.

Unfortunately, he has to beat me.

Sorry, too busy signing.

The 2023 Tour de France for us was a great success.

Four stage wins.

Filhamsen wins!

Jasper Filhamsen!

Filhamsen comes out on top.

Green jersey.

Every sprint team fears Jasper Filhamsen and Mathieu van der Poel.

It's not just their speed.

It's their physicality.

Jasper and Mathieu have become superstars.

It's very clear to everybody we are the best sprinters.

What do you hope to achieve this year at the Tour?

People expect you to do the same.

At least the same.

The main goal, I think, is to go for a stage win.

But of course, we are also targeting green jersey.

So it puts some pressure this year.

The green jersey is the points jersey at the Tour

de France with more points awarded for sprints.

So essentially, the green jersey goes to the best sprinter at the Tour.

Super inspiring what you do.

Thank you.

The fight for a stage win will be up there.

It will not be a present for Marc Cavendish.

Lock the camera, lock the camera.

Of course, he's getting older every year.

For sure, it makes it harder to win a stage on a level like this.

A lot of things are without your control.

And the other opponents are also without your control.

My name is Biniam Gurmay Hailu.

I'm from Eritrea.

What most people don't know about Eritrea, we have a really big passion of cycling.

It's the number one sport.

When I was a really small kid, every single year, we followed Tour de France.

So at that time, I remember Marc Cavendish.

Every sprint stage, I keep watching, trying to act like he do.

Inspired me a lot.

But for us in our Tour de France or any Grand Tour level, we just think,

yeah, this is only for us.

European athlete or only for white people.

I just keep dreaming and keep working hard to be on the top level.

In Rwanda, for under 18 race, I won individual

time trial and also team time trials.

UCI Switzerland invite me to show myself in Europe racing.

That's the big opportunity I find in my life.

And 2020, that's the first time I met with the team Intermarché.

Vinnie, it's not too cold without the leg warmers?

Don't make joke of me.

We go now.

Again, Vinnie.

You look good.

Yeah, yeah.

Sure.

I was 18 years old.

So moved to Europe.

To come in Europe from different country, different culture, and in this age,

it's quite hard.

To be honest, back then, I really never even

imagined, like, even 50% of what I do now.

It's completely, like, more than my dream.

Thanks to my wife, I have a kid.

And she really take care of me and her.

After every race, I must to call her.

Because she give me a lot of extra motivation.

Because, yeah, I'm away from home.

I'm away from my daughter.

So I need to do this for my family.

Great sprinters are costly.

So we set up a project with a development team.

For us, winning a stage this year is really important.

Because we, well, we've been competing here for seven years now, saying we're

going to win a stage, but we haven't won one yet.

And I think this time, we really have the team for it.

We chose Biniyam for the Tour de France.

He has innate talent, that's for sure.

And I think he'll have some big victories in the future.

When I knew I will race the Tour de France, I just said, I cannot believe,

like, fuck, I will be in Tour de France this year.

It's incredible.

I feel something great.

I cannot handle even the feeling inside myself.

And your bike is good?

It's the best.

Yes?

Yeah, I like it.

So, in three weeks, we'll be in the Tour.

Yeah, crazy.

That's it.

As an Eritrean rider, if you are selected for Tour de France, it's something huge.

I always give myself 100%, but it's going to be hard to win races.

It's going to be super tough against Philipsen.

But I'm never dreaming a race against Kevin Dich.

There aren't many sprint opportunities at a Tour de France.

Sprinting is a confidence game, and an early win gives you that confidence.

It gives you the psychological edge over your rivals.

For Mark Cavendish, that's a huge pressure to have on your shoulders, especially when

you're competing against a raft of talented youngsters, all hungry for a stage win.

OK, our game plan.

Michael, you're going to have to lead here, because

you're going to have to pick a moment when we move.

We just need to stay calm.

We just need to stay out of that washing machine.

Make sure you remember Cav's behind everybody

and he's the one that's at the back.

So we need to keep him maybe a little bit forward.

Look, you know what you're doing.

Let's smash it today.

You get a feeling sometimes when you know everything's...

..good.

Mark, Mark!

Yeah, let's just go all in and win.

This is going to be the world championship for sprinting on this stage, because every

single one of the sprinters wants to win here.

This is a stage that really suits a team like Alpecin de Kooning.

We've got a flat finish, a long straight stretch, a course that's not too difficult.

You'd think their superstar Jasper Philipsen will take it.

Tour de France, it's three weeks, but you want to win as quickly as possible.

Why not repeat last year's success?

This is your chance, OK?

We're going to fucking nail this final, OK?

65 kilometres an hour.

Come on, come on.

You need to be really fearless to be a sprinter.

You switch everything.

Oh, massive crash.

Huge crash.

A load of riders have hit the deck.

Shit.

Philipsen is down.

138 is down, 131 and 106.

Philipsen, 106, Philipsen, he's down.

Jasper Crest.

Huh?

Jasper Crest.

Jasper Crest.

Jasper Crest.

Where's Mark Cavendish?

I can't see him.

Can't see the Manx Missile in there.

I don't see Cavendish.

Is he in those wheels somewhere?

OK, Cav cannot sprint, guys.

Find your way out and move directly, guys.

Come on, eh?

600 metres of racing to go now to try and win this stage.

Pedersen now goes for the stage.

Gourmay goes across.

Biniyam Gourmay coming up alongside the barriers.

Gourmay looking for a gap to get through.

Pedersen, Gourmay, Biniyam Gourmay.

Biniyam Gourmay wins his first ever stage of the Tour de France.

Yeah!

Yeah!

Come on!

Biniyam!

Biniyam!

What a moment.

What a moment.

He's created history.

The first black African rider to win a stage of the Tour de France.

When I crossed the line, like, you know, it just reminded me when I was

young, trying to act the same like the guys they do

in the Tour de France and trying to be like them.

But to find myself winning the stage, it was like, yeah, something incredible.

Biniyam!

Biniyam!

Biniyam!

You make history.

You make fucking history.

You know it for Africa and for Intermarché.

You know it, Biniyam.

Good job, Biniyam!

Oh, fuck.

Victory for Biniyam Gourmay, Intermarché, Wante Gobert.

This is big, you know?

Yeah, you know, it's...

Since I started cycling, Tour de France was... Yeah.

I never dreamed to be part of Tour de France, but now, yeah, I can't believe it.

Yeah, it's for all Africans.

Congrats, I would say.

Now is our moment and, yeah, I'm super happy

to win in front of the fastest in the world.

For me, it was really...

Yeah, it was a really big motivator.

You're making history.

Enjoy the podium.

Thank you.

Thanks so much.

I believe I said I can do more, even, because,

yeah, the first one is the hardest one.

Chances ruined by that crash in the last three kilometres.

Yeah.

I wasn't the only one just looking to stay up.

I was, like, seeing it happen, you can hear it, and I'm too little to see it.

I'm too little to see what's going on, so I hear it.

Kind of got through, but you're out of it, so...

Well...

That was terrifying, that.

In the stage, I was a bit nervous.

There's been times this year when I've wondered why I carried on.

It's not an easy life.

It's not good, is it?

Nobody expected Intermarché to win the stage.

The impact is known by everybody.

That just sucks.

I didn't crash too bad, so I could continue the tour.

That was the most important, but, of course, it was also a big miss for the

green jersey points, a big miss for the win.

Yeah, it is what it is, but I wish to start on a better note.

I would love to see him break the record, but I just

don't think that there's a chance at this point.

Cavendish, he's done.

I don't know if he's finished yet, but he is going to need a miracle to make it.

Feels like a little pressure.

Do you know?

Stressful.

When you approach something like this, you really think this is our race, you know?

You told me.

You told me, yeah?

Of course, I'm human.

I hear, I read, I know what people say, but

I have to keep focusing on that goal to win.

Hey, baby girl.

Sorry, mate.

Hello, beautiful.

Yeah?

Daddy?

Yeah?

Me?

Just with Mark.

Hello.

Say hi, Mark.

Hi, Mark.

How are you going?

I've done your nails.

You've done your nails?

Let us see your nails.

Show your nails.

Oh, they're beautiful, baby.

Oh, they're beautiful.

My children live everything with me.

Those walls with my little family, that's my sanctuary, you know?

I love you, baby girl.

I love you, Daddy.

I love you.

I love you, baby.

Can I have a kiss?

This year could count on two hands the amount of days I spent at home.

Sacrifices have to be made, I guess, but I just don't want it to be a waste of time.

Beaming our mess, going day by day stronger.

The Green Jersey is the main objective.

But, yeah, we also see opportunities for stage wins.

Before it was a dream, but now it's a really big goal because, like I say,

the way how we ride was super impressive.

So now it's the big goal in the Green Jersey.

It's not a dream anymore.

You're not scared?

No, I don't fear nobody.

Nobody.

Why not?

I mean, it's me against me.

So we go for it.

No, it's OK.

I think now the upcoming days will be, yeah, tough.

But if we're in the groupetto, for sure, we have Astana boys.

A group of cats.

Yeah.

I remember, guys, when I... I was, like, nine years old, 2009.

The first time he won the stage tour was unbelievable.

And then now he's still racing, you know?

He's still racing on the good level.

He's 39 years old and then he's still doing super.

You're 39?

Yeah, yeah.

I think they're really going to be close to get that one stage more.

One stage in the tour is crazy, but he win 34 already.

Imagine if he does this.

Yeah.

The stage between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and

Saint-Vulbas is tailor-made for a sprinter.

And Mark Cavendish is determined to make his

mark on that front and to make history again.

It's going to be a tense finish.

Having yet to win a stage this year, Alpersen

de Koonink is keen to make up for lost time.

Today, you're going to need to take the green jersey.

Fuck.

OK, guys, we have two category four climbs, and in

the middle, you go straight through the roundabout.

Cool.

Watch out, eh?

It was a crazy start of the tour.

I'm really frustrated.

And of course, the year before, we had...

The success came immediately from the beginning, and in the Tour de France,

there's one chance less.

Yeah, so you can see how narrow that is there.

Go back, go back, go back, go back, go back.

Yeah, you can see how...

So, this is good.

If we can come into the first right in position, you don't move.

So, if she hits the fan, you've got time to move here.

But you bust through.

You just go straight through.

It's exactly a sprint that you can tactically play out.

The forehand, in terms of pre-empting something, you can be pretty sure that

Alpecin are going to have it quite dialed in a finish like that.

We know what to do.

Timing is crucial.

It's about being blocked or not.

To Jasper, he has to save the most energy.

It's now or never.

Yeah.

Now it's going to be serious.

They know for sure I'm a fast guy, and now it's back to business.

20 minutes.

20 minutes to go.

Ready?

Good luck, guys.

You all right?

Now let's think about the favourites.

Philipson.

The other day he was missing his key lead out man, Matt Ravanderpool.

And this is proper Ravanderpool material.

There's the chance for Biniyam Gamai to take the green jersey.

This could be a very, very hard-fought situation.

Everything is ready.

Cavendish looking for stage win number 35.

This is not going to be easy.

Good morning, guys.

Keep the concentration as good as possible.

We have to make sure no regrets after the finish.

Oudaz.

Alps and Deceuninck are getting ready.

Mathieu van der Poel comes up.

Now they're on their way.

Now they're on their way.

Cavendish just squeezing a little bit there.

Looks like he's grimacing.

6.6 kilometers of racing to go.

61 kilometers an hour.

They are all fighting for this right-hand turn now as it goes narrow.

Moving up there near Starmie.

A team looking around.

Cavendish is not on the wheel of his lead-out train.

He's in the middle there.

Not a good position for Cavendish.

Three kilometers to go.

It is extremely key to be at the very, very front.

Narrow now as they take this turn.

Everybody gets safely through there.

Alpecin coming up right there on the left-hand side.

All together, wheel-on-wheel.

As soon as I saw Philipson, I knew I could use him in his lead-out.

1,000 meters of racing to go.

And suddenly Philipson is in great position.

Cav, if you can listen to me, just think of Astrid, mate.

Now's the time.

Okay, let's go.

Cavendish bumps one rider out of the way.

Philipson is not prepared to give an inch here.

This is the moment.

Oh, my God.

Cavendish dives to the right-hand side.

Oh, big crash.

Mark Cavendish all the way to the line.

Max Vissot, record-breaker, stage 35 in the Tour de France.

The record has gone.

Mark Cavendish, the legend.

Work, please.

You won?

No.

Yeah?

Yes!

No!

Radio, radio.

Yes!

Yes!

The

Max Missile is now firmly in the record books.

35 stage wins at the Tour de France.

He is now the out-and-out record holder.

And everybody wants to congratulate him.

Fuck, he did it.

Enjoy the moment.

It's okay.

Thank you.

Yes!

I'm so proud.

I'm so proud of him.

Because these first few days, there's been a lot

of chat with, you know, why is he still here?

Why is he still doing this?

And that's why.

I wanted him to just never lay in bed and think what if.

And now he won.

We ate.

All of me and the kids sat on the floor.

We had no restaurant in our hotel.

And ate rubbish beige Uber Eats off a sticky carpet in a French hotel.

And then we drove 210 kilometres to the

start and then 230 kilometres to the finish.

To show him that we believe that they can do it.

I'm in a little bit of disbelief.

Like, you know...

Yeah,

we...

Big gamble to come here and try and win at least one stage, you know.

That's a big gamble for my boss, Alex Vinocchio.

A team to do.

And we... Yeah, we've done it.

I

always assumed when I was younger, like, fans are watching you do what you do.

And it wasn't until probably when I was younger, when I became a father,

and I saw the inspiration that my sons and daughters got from their heroes,

that I understood that people live your journey with you.

Mark Cavendish's 35th stage win, it sets him apart in history.

He has confounded the critics time and time again, and he's done it one last time.

It's phenomenal.

A moment in history.

Mark Cavendish wins 35 stages in the Tour de

France, beating Jasper Philipsen into second place.

It's a rare beauty.

I had to believe in this.

You beat the records.

Congratulations.

I don't need to make an exam with this or to win it.

Yeah?

The secret of winning was nice.

Just be calm now, OK?

Just chill out.

Calm down.

I just don't understand.

It's all gone wrong.

The plan worked.

This keeps on happening, you know?

And I lose all the time.

I mean, last year, it was so easy.

Come on.

Last year, it was so easy.

The Tour is only 21 days, and it's counting down.

Every day that's gone, you cannot turn back time, and so every time you haven't

won, the pressure increases, and you have to deliver.

Fuck.

We're going to ride today from Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lotte, a stage of 203.

6 kilometres.

Could be a tricky day on the road to the Tour.

Benyam Gourmay is still in the green jersey.

His advantage over Philipson is still substantial.

If Philipson can score, this gap will start to close.

This rider has got a lot of work to do to get the green jersey.

It's going to be a tussle between him and Benyam Gourmay for certain.

There are only a handful of stages available for the sprinters.

If Jasper is to stand any chance of catching Beny, he

needs the stage win to turn their Tour de France around.

Of course, you want the win.

Tension is going up.

Everybody wants to be in a good place.

We're about to get stage 12 going.

We're going to get stage 12 going.

We're going to get stage 12 going.

Get together and make sure we have done all we could for Jasper today.

5.8 kilometres to go.

Here's Benyam Gourmay.

Right on the wheel of Philipson.

Cavendish slipping back a little bit.

Is that Philipson coming on the left here?

Mark Cavendish on the wheel.

Who's going to take it?

Oh!

Gourmay timed it to perfection yet again.

What a finish.

Cavendish was right behind Gourmay.

Nothing he could do.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Great job, guys.

Great job.

Yes, that was a really good day.

What can you tell us?

Well, fuck!

He did such a good sprint.

Are

you all clearly?

Great.

I'm feeling proud of you.

I'm feeling proud of you.

Too much.

You want to do anything?

Can we call your girlfriend in?

Maybe you're all...

at this moment was heartbreaking.

troublemaker gambling The Green Jersey this year is going to be impossible.

In the 2024 Tour de France, Adri Trajan, Benyam Gourmet is the sprint king,

now leading the Green Jersey competition by over

100 points on Jasper Philipsen in second place.

A special moment for this team, because they

know that this Green Jersey is going to go mine.

It's incredible.

It's like we're on another planet.

He's going to be a legend.

I try to win in the Tour, not only for my friends, my family, you know, everybody.

For Africans, it's something special.

It makes them proud.

This makes me the most happy guy.

Mitty, one question on Mark Cavendish.

So now you're going to try to beat his record?

No, no, no, no.

We will see.

I was not surprised Benyam Gourmet won.

No.

He's a good bike rider, isn't he?

He's one of the Tour de France.

You don't know anything until you're one of the Tour de France.

It changes your life.

That's a special feeling.

I could not have wished for a better end to my Tour de France career.

It was just right, you know?

It felt like a fairy tale.

I'm not just any rider, my body knows how to survive at 3,000 metres.

I'm made for the mountains.

So the job for the team is to get Ritchie the win.

EF's big hope is Richard Carapaz.

The chairman of EF probably watches six or seven races a year.

Today will be one of the races that he watches.

Don't fuck it up.

You can do it, Ritchie.

You can do it.

Go on, now.