Mark Cavendish convinced Tour sprinters can reclaim Paris despite Montmartre climb

Mark Cavendish has admitted he was wrong about including the Montmartre climb in the final stage of the Tour de France, predicting that the sprinters can still win the final stage of the race.

Cavendish is an ambassador for the Tour de France and green jersey sponsor Skoda. He set a new record of 34 Tour stage victories in 2024 and won four consecutive times on the Champs Elysees between 2009 and 2012.

The Tour has always been a special race for Cavendish. He made his Tour debut in 2007 when the race started in London but crashed out in 2014 in a high-speed sprint to Harrogate.

"Unfortunately that stage didn't finish as well as I'd hoped but it was incredible to experience it," he said in Paris after the route presentation.

"I think there's an incredible relationship between France and the UK. Great Britain really appreciates the Tour de France for being the greatest sporting event on the planet."

Cavendish won the opening stage of the 2016 Tour and pulled on the first yellow jersey. In 2027, Matthew Brennan of Visma | Lease a Bike could have a shot at emulating him and taking yellow in Carlisle.

"I was very fortunate to have the opportunity a couple of times and pulled on the yellow once in my career. It's really nice to see that on the first stage in the UK," Cavendish said.

"Hopefully we can have a winner that'll make a nice story for what would be an incredible weekend."

Sprinters like Brennan, Paul Magnier, Jasper Philispen, Biniam Girmay and others could bookend the 2027 Tour with two prestigious victories but will have to suffer to celebrate in Paris after stage 21.

Despite initial conflicting reports, ASO has confirmed that the cobbled climb to Montemartre will remain in the 2027 Tour.

The stage again attracted huge crowds along the roadside and on television and ASO have again confirmed stage 21 will include five flat laps of the Champs-Élysées before three longer loops that include Montmartre.

"I'm glad I don't have to do it," Cavendish admitted to Eurosport in Paris after the Tour presentation, knowing he would suffer on the climb.

"I was quite against it when it was first brought in. I thought the Champs-Élysées was always a reason for a sprint to finish the Tour. But after seeing this year's race, I said I was wrong. It was an incredible spectacle. It was a real, 'will it or won't it' moment." 

Mathieu van der Poel won the stage after attacking up the Rue Lepic in Montmartre, with only Tadej Pogačar able to go with him. The sprinters chased the two at speed and Pogačar cracked in the final kilometre but van der Poel went deep to stay clear and win.

The sprinters were given the same time as the Alpecin rider but he finished a few metres ahead of them.

"On the right day, it can come back for a sprint," suggested. 

"This year (2027) they changed the direction in, so it gives a little bit longer for the sprinters (to chase) from Montmartre to what it did this year. I think that lends itself to it more of a bunch sprint."