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Cavendish shrugs off question about his form for Milan-San Remo

published 13 March 2011

HTC-Highroad sprinter insists he’s ready for La Classicissima

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Robbie McEwen (Radioshack) and Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) didn't feature in today's sprint.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) contemplates today's stage.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Mark Renshaw and Bernard Eisel try to bring Mark Cavendish back to the front after the climb.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Mark Cavendish has shrugged off questions about his form for next Saturday’s Milan-San Remo, insisting that he is feeling good despite missing out in the two sprint finishes at Tirreno-Adriatico.

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Cavendish has only one victory to his name this season: the final stage at the Tour of Oman. He proved he had the speed and sprinting tactics to beat Thor Hushovd, Andrea Guardini and Theo Bos that day but sat up in both sprints at Tirreno-Adriatico after losing position and his lead out.

Cavendish finished in the main gruppetto on Saturday’s 240km hilly stage to Chieti and faces another long day in the hills during Sunday’s 244km stage. He admitted he was tired but insisted his build-up for Milan-San Remo was on track.

“I’m a little tired and it’s not warm here but I’m ok,” he said in his ever-improving Italian during a Gazzetta dello Sport video interview.

“This is my last race before San Remo and my preparation is going perfectly. I’m ready.”

Cavendish claimed that his form is as good as in 2009 when he won Milan-San Remo at the first attempt but he avoided naming who he thinks will be his rivals for San Remo.
“I look at my form and not at the other riders,” he said. “We’ll see what happens next Saturday.”

Cavendish has already studied the finale of the race before Tirreno-Adriatico and may return to ride the Poggio and the Cipressa again when Tirreno-Adriatico ends on Tuesday.