'Knowing I was valued is biggest factor in not retiring' says Mark Cavendish

Sitting rather unexpectedly on the eve of his 20th season in the professional ranks, Mark Cavendish is clear in his reasons for putting off his announced retirement: "The biggest factor was knowing I was valued. It's been rather a few years since I kind of felt valued, I guess - as a rider for racing and off the bike as a teammate."

Speaking at Astana Qazaqstan's team training camp in Altea, Spain, Mark Cavendish cuts the same at ease figure that he did when he announced his end-of-season retirement during this year's Giro d'Italia. Only, this time, he is speaking about his ambitions for the 2024 Tour de France, rather than calling time on his illustrious career.

Sporting a trademark grin, a sponsor-correct cap and taking his time to answer each question with careful thought, Cavendish is a man content with what he has achieved in his career. "I don't have to do anything else in cycling," he says. But this happiness is exactly the reason he is continuing for another year.

"It’s ironic, the reason I wanted to stop was because I was happy and enjoying cycling - I could finish cycling knowing I was in love with the sport the same I was as I started. Ironically, I’m carrying on because I’m happy and I love the sport just as I did when I started. It took a while, it was just seeing where I came back from my injury more than anything."

Cavendish had, of course, decided to retire at the end of 2023. But this decision was reversed following his crash at the Tour de France, with Astana Qazaqstan more than willing to retain the sprinter's services for 2024. Indeed, the Kazakh side have shown their faith in Cavendish's chances by bolstering his lead-out options with the signings of Davide Ballerini and Michael Mørkøv from Soudal Quick-Step, and the team's belief gave Cavendish the motivation to continue.

Read more: Opinion: Astana Qazaqstan's faith in Mark Cavendish will pay off at the Tour de France

"Alex [Vinokourov] asked me straight after I got back from the hospital if I wanted to carry on," Cavendish says to a group of reporters gathered at the team's hotel, "but that’s nice. That’s a team boss that’s been a champion, ridden a bike and understands. I just love it, I don’t think I have to do anything else in cycling, I can just enjoy it and that’s a nice place to be in.”

With his retirement postponed, talk has soon turned to where Cavendish may line up in 2024 as he builds towards the obvious goal: a 35th stage victory at the Tour de France. The record Tour de France stage winner last won at a Grand Tour at this year's Giro d'Italia, but a return to Italy is not on the cards for the coming season.

No Giro d'Italia for Cavendish in 2024, but altitude training will be crucial

Cavendish has won 17 stages of the Giro d'Italia and used the race to build his form towards the Tour de France this season - as he has done plenty of times in the past. But speaking to GCN, Astana Qazaqstan's coach Vasilis Anastopoulos rules out the Giro from Cavendish's 2024 calendar.

“No," the Greek coach says regarding the Giro, "we are going to do a nice block of racing, then we are going to recover. We are going to do another block of training and use a couple of races before the Tour.”

“Mark’s group is going to do two long altitude camps this year before the Tour de France… We are going to do another camp in Greece in April, that’s all part of the process towards the Tour de France.”

© George Poole

Mark Cavendish has enjoyed his time in southern Spain, but now all eyes turn to 2024 and the Tour

The first altitude camp will, of course, be in Colombia following the recent announcement that Cavendish's first race in 2024 will be the Tour Colombia.

When asked why Tour Colombia was selected as his first race - breaking with years of tradition of starting in the Middle East - Cavendish's answer is simple: "To do a bit of altitude, first and foremost."

"I really haven't done that much altitude in my career, but you kind of have to do it now. It's not like you're getting a benefit from doing it, you're just so much not at the level if you don't do it now."

Cavendish is referring to the level of the WorldTour peloton, which now includes plenty of teams who will take their squads on multiple altitude training camps each season.

Indeed, part of the reason that Colombia was selected was simply because most of the hotels in Europe have been booked out for the entire year by those teams with seemingly bottomless pockets.

Anastopoulos reveals to GCN that a Colombian trip was on the team's agenda even prior to the announcement that the Tour Colombia would be returning following a four-year absence.

“It is the first time that the team goes so far away to a camp like this," he says. "We thought of going to Colombia to stay before the Tour Colombia race was even announced. Now it is a fantastic opportunity… it looks like a really ideal scenario.”

For the British sprinter, who will focus his entire racing and training plan around the Tour de France in July, altitude camps can be a valuable tool to allow him the best possible chance at taking stage win number 35 next summer.

“If you’ve people around you that know what they’re doing with it, then yes," was Cavendish's response when asked if altitude suited him as a rider.

"There’s been a handful of times when it’s been controlled and I’ve gone very well of it. There’s times like with Dimension Data when you’re left to your own devices, and it’s kind of gone the other way! I know we’ve got people around here who know what they’re doing with it, so we'll give it a go."