HTC-Highroad rider, Mark Cavendish, accused of holding on to cars at climbs
HTC-Highroad rider, Mark Cavendish, has been blamed by some of his opponents, fighting for the green jersey, that he was holding on to cars in Pyrenees. Although, Tour de France Race Organisers have ruled out the allegations on the 26-year-old cyclist.
Mark Cavendish is the winner of stage 5, stage 7 and stage 11 of 2011 Tour de France with a total of 18 career Tour de France stage wins. Cavendish has taken the green jersey of the Tour this year and is striving hard to retain it until the end of the race.
Philippe Gilbert of Omega Lotto- Pharma was seen visiting Jean-Francois Pescheux for a long discussion. Jose Joaquin Rojas, who is at the second spot in the green jersey competition, has stated that the chat was all about Cavendish.
Rojas said that he has complained about Cavendish as he was hanging on to the cars during the climbs at Pyrenees and is saving his strength.
Rojas further added, “We want a clean sport, not only in the fight against doping, but also about other things. We asked for a television camera to follow Cavendish in the race.”
Pescheux dismissed the allegations as he believed that Rojas is coming up with excuses to win and that he has no issues with Cavendish.
Cavendish is famous for his confidence, even arrogance at times as he said, "When journalists at the Tour de France ask me if I am the best sprinter, I answer ‘Yes’ and that’s seen as arrogance, but if they don’t ask me, I don’t say I’m the best sprinter in the world."
Sprinters will face a series of tough climbs on the final stage in the Pyrenees this Saturday and will have to overcome five climbs during the total distance 168.5 kilometres. The day’s sprint will come early on at 36.5 kilometres.
There will be a fairly good chance for the sprinters on Sunday, as the cyclist will find a flat stage from Limoux to Montpelier, before the Tour takes the riders in to the Alps.
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