He may be a grand tour legend but Mark Cavendish admits the Dubai Tour is a step into the unknown after a 2017 to forget.
The Dimension Data rider, who won the race in 2015, had a frustrating season after suffering from glandular fever and then dislocating his shoulder during the Tour de France in July.
Despite returning to full fitness in October and enjoying strong preparation in the off-season, the Manx Missile is focused on building up his form with three races in the Middle East this month.
“The Dubai Tour is the first race of the season so I won’t really know until I step on the bike. There are no expectations for myself or my team,” said Cavendish.
“It’s my job so I have to get back racing. It doesn’t matter how well you’ve trained or how fit you think you are. It’s always an unknown. You won’t know until you actually race.”
However, Cavendish’s ultimate goal is as ever the Tour de France – and he is keen to make up for a winless 2017 after dislocating his shoulder following a collision with Peter Sagan on stage four.
His total stage wins on the Tour remains at 30, four behind Eddy Merckx’s record, and it’s possible he could overtake the legendary Belgian before retiring from cycling.
He said: “That’s my focus. That’s what I’m paid to do well in the Tour de France. Everything is built around going well in July for every single year.”
The 32-year-old will travel straight to Muscat after the weekend where he will compete in the Tour of Oman for the first time since 2012.
Following that race, he will arrive in Abu Dhabi where he is a two-time winner of the green jersey and hoping to continue his impressive showing in the capital.
“I have a month in the Middle East. I go from Dubai to the Tour of Oman and then to Abu Dhabi. Hopefully that will build my form. By the end of the month I’d like to be confident again,” he said.
“I think compared to the other teams we haven’t brought a full team. The plan is to build up the whole team.”
“We have a great team and we’re having fun. It’ll be nice to race with my teammate Julien Vermote again. He’s the best in the world at riding from the front.”
