On Sunday as 48 local amateurs lined up to race in the Nick Corkill Memorial club road race on Sunday in the Isle of Man, former world champion and 34x Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish rolled into the starting grid filled with aspiring junior riders.

Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team), who was home on the island while recovering from a recent illness that forced him out of Milano-Torino, rolled over to the local 50 mile race organized by Ellan Vannin Club, payed the £20 fee, pinned on a number and lined up.

When asked what it was like to race with one of the world’s most successful racers, 18 year-old Callum Salisbury told Cycling Weekly, “He’s still Cav. He’ll shout orders, but he’s very supportive. Every time you go through, he’s like, ‘That’s great. Well done, you’re doing great there. Keep tight.’ Or, ‘Do this, do that.’ He’s always trying to help us, especially the younger ones. He’s not flat-out racing, he’s not here to drop everyone.”

The support and encouraging words from “Cav” worked well for Salisbury, the 18 year-old finished in second place overall, behind ex-pros Chris Lawless, 28, and Andrew Roche, 52.

Cavendish finished 29th and then rolled the 20 miles back home to complete his Sunday recovery ride. The next race for Cavendish, if healthy, is likely the Belgian spring classic Scheldeprijs on 3 April, in eight starts, he’s finished on the podium seven times.

Photo Credit: ManxManPhotos, Facebook/Ellan-Vannin-Cycling-Club

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