Mark Cavendish interview

Mark Cavendish at a race earlier in the year

It's been a whirlwind year for the Isle of Man born rider. At just 22 years of age, the T-Mobile rider has already notched up six wins in his first season as a fully fledged professional cyclist.

Most new professional cyclists can only dream of making such an impact as Cavendish has achieved, but he seems to be taking it in his stride. Talking to us on Monday, Cavendish said about his flying start to the season: “It's good you know. I realised I had the ability to do it but just great to come into a team that was willing to give me the opportunities to go for the stages. It's hard for a neo-pro to come in, but I'm great that I've got such a good team that has faith in me”.

And it's this strong performance so far that convinced T-Mobile Team General Manager Bob Stapleton that Cavendish had to be included in the squad. It's “a dream come true”, said Cavendish, adding, “…especially for a lad my age and to ride for one of the biggest teams in the world. It's a great feeling”.

In this, the last week before the Tour commences on Saturday, Cavendish is relaxed about his expectations. Clearly the pressure of being one of an emerging handful of young Brit hopefuls isn't worrying him, and equally the pressure of undertaking his first Tour de France. “Well obviously I'm coming into the Tour totally blind and it's different to any other bike race or sporting event. I really don't know where I'm at. In relation it could be a lot easier than I imagined, or a lot harder than I imagined. I'm going into with my feet firmly on the ground, knowing that it'll be different than anything else. Not to go into too optimistically, we'll just have to see how it goes.”

Undoubtedly Cavendish is riding extremely well, and the support within the T-Mobile team is helping. It's a team which has reformed drastically in the last year, and is now perhaps a leading example amid the ongoing anti-doping revelations. Asked about the mood within the team, Cavendish says: “Oh it's amazing you know. Even riders who were there last year are saying it's so different. At every race, we're one of the only teams at the dinner table laughing, every rider gets on with every rider, and every rider gets on with every management, and every management gets on with every management. It's just such a perfect atmosphere. Bob (Stapleton) and Rolf (Aldag) have so much to do with that. We've all got a common interest, that we're riding clean. We've all got 100% trust in each other. It's just perfect, and when it comes to racing we all know that we're all giving it 100%. There's no individual goal as such, everyone works so well together on and off the bike. “

Confirming his stance on doping, Cavendish recently signed the UCI's anti-doping charter, a new initiative to encourage riders to pledge that they're riding clean. It's one step towards cleaning up the sport, but is it enough?

“I know that cycling is doing what it can to clean up. Obviously I've come from an completely anti-doping background with the national team, and I've gone onto a completely anti-doping team with t-mobile. The ethics and messages and put through are perfect for any young rider coming into the sport. I'm starting my career and I want a good 10-15 years, I don't want the sport to be over-shadowed with bad publicity. I love the sport, I think it's beautiful, I want all the people enjoying it; I want it to be remembered for being open. That's why I'm going to do whatever I can to push for a clean sport and to make sure it's fair”.

Perhaps the biggest question on most people's lips, it's certainly the cause of the most heated debates in the letourguide.com office, is just who is capable of winning the Tour. To say the race is wide-open would be an under-statement.

“I think we've got a strong chance with Michael (Rogers), we've got such a strong team behind him. I hope he wins; I can't see any reason why not. But I think its wide open. I've not really got any favourites really”.

Stay tuned to letourguide.com for updates on Mark Cavendish's performance through the Tour.