On July 3, 2024, Mark Cavendish made history by claiming his 35th Tour de France stage win on Stage 5 from Saint‑Jean‑de‑Maurienne to Saint‑Vulbas. At age 39, he surpassed Eddy Merckx—whose record of 34 stage wins had stood for nearly 50 years—becoming the outright leader in Tour stage victories.
Astana Qazaqstan had focused on this stage all week. Cavendish’s team controlled the peloton and guided him into the final kilometers. Then, with masterful timing and positioning, he launched his sprint—holding off rivals like Jasper Philipsen and Fabio Jakobsen—reaching top speeds of 69.4 km/h