BRITISH CYCLING SUPERSTAR Mark Cavendish says he has successfully come through a two-year battle with clinical depression revealing on Monday he was “dark” but is now on the “other side”.
The 34-year-old is just four stage wins shy of equalling Belgian legend Eddie Mercx’s record of 34 stage victories in the Tour de France.
However, with the coronavirus pandemic playing havoc with the sporting calendar — both Euro 2020 and the Olympics have been postponed for a year — there is no guarantee the Isle of Man-born rider will get a chance to have a go at the record this year.
The Tour is due to start on 27 June.
Cavendish, though, is just happy that should the Tour go ahead he will be in a healthy state of mind for the challenge facing him.
“It’s not just been my physical health which has been dealt a blow over the last couple of years,” he told The Times.
“I’ve battled quite hard with depression during this time
“I was diagnosed with clinical depression in August 2018.”
Cavendish said he refused to take anti-depressants but did seek expert counselling.
“I didn’t take any medication,” he said.
“Like, this isn’t the time or place — we’ll do a thing on it at some point — but I received help.
“I was dark. And I’m on the other side, thank you.
“Well, as much as I can be. I think I’ve come out of that. And it’s nice to have come out of that.
“And to look for the positives.”
Not many positives can be taken from the coronavirus pandemic but Cavendish has found one.
He is presently back at home in the Isle of Man having agreed like his Bahrain McLaren team-mates to take a wage deferral for three months the size of which is dependent on income and individual circumstances.
“It could have been easy for me to go through my whole career and only see the kids once they’re teenagers,” said the father of three and who has a stepson.
“So to be able to absorb this… to be able to do what mums and dads do, it keeps me happy, it keeps me super motivated, and it keeps me sane I guess.”
His old mentor Rod Ellingworth believes Cavendish was not far off the form of his peak year in 2016 when he won four stages on the Tour de France.
Ellingworth should know as the two have been reunited with Cavendish at the Bahrain McLaren team.
“His form is not like 2016 but he’s getting there,” said Ellingworth, who is the team general manager.
“If that was 10 out of 10, he’s somewhere like seven at the minute.
“He came to us one or two out of 10, that’s physical, mental and the passion for it.
“So he’s progressing really well.”
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Subscription for information that’s free elsewhere?
Closure of daily edge, then a subscription model for sports… makes me think that ad revenue is dropping and the business model isn’t as successful as it once was.
Wonder how long it’ll take for this to be deleted???
@sequoia: maybe you didn’t read the article
@Stephen Watson: There’s no maybe about it. Sequoia couldn’t wait to have a whinge about something. Trivial matters like facts and statements would only get in the way.
This is how you lose users. Or drive up costs
Very few users will pay a subscription to a service where:
A) the information is available free elsewhere
B) a paywall is suddenly introduced
Just look at traditional media for examples
All that’s happening here is costs are being driven up by putting in value add features with no indication of how successful they’re going to be.
Even if they’d contacted all users and asked them would they be willing to pay for the service, if 100% said yes, the likely return would be less than 40%.
@sequoia: I agree. Best thing about the 42 is the comments section. No offence but the level of journalism on here is average at best. Some good stories every now and again but majority of the time it’s just click bait with misleading headlines. And that’s fine. I like it. Get my sports hit. But to pay for it?!! I can sympathize with the pressure of putting up constant content. That must be difficult.
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: Did you read the article? You’ll still get the articles and comments section for free, the subscription is for extra stuff.
And I disagree, there is some great sportswriting on here – much better than other free sports sites. Some click bait headlines, yeah, but that’s one of the ways they make money. If you don’t want click bait headlines then pay for your journalism
@JarvisOFlaherterahry: oh I’ve read it! Seeing… “Only for subscription members” is going to drive a wedge between its current audience. Reading down through the articles and not being able to access everything! It will lose readers in my opinion.
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: are you sure you’ve read it? Because it clearly says that nothing will change on the 42 site
@JarvisOFlaherterahry: I think you are a little nieve to think that. Things will be introduced bit by bit as to not shock the audience too much all at one time. But things will change
“this is not a paywall or subscription service “….. and guess what.. it’s a subscription service….
@windbag: if you want it to be
Pity ye changed from the Score to The 42. Ye would have had to charge just the €20 then ;)
@Stephen Keane: Quality. Hopefully members will vote emphatically in favour of the return of ‘Comment of the Week’.
@Gavan Casey: Bring back red thumbs!
Best of luck with the new plans. I’ll probably sign up anyway just to see what it’s all about. You’ll get the usual idiots saying that they won’t pay for information that is free elsewhere. If everyone had that attitude you’d have no professional journalists and no quality reporting, just echo chambers and click bait.
@JoeO:
€42 a year is feck all. I’ll pay that no dramas. I enjoy the site and can afford it.
Sport won’t be what it once was for much longer. Greed and money killing what’s good about sport. This is just another example. More wants more. Bubble will burst.
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: €42 a year isn’t too much
@Eoin Murphy: it isn’t… But you can live without sports content. I’d prefer to give it to my child to pay for something useful then to pay for headlines!!
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: Cool story, Caoimhín. Off you go with your kid to McDonalds and let people who want to pay for extra content do so without judgement.
@James McLoughlin: what are u on about? Not judging anyone! Do as you please. Giving my opinion. That’s it. Don’t get personal.
Oh I do wonder where this is headed…
Be great to put a face to a few names…
Ill buy if you stop censoring any comment that isnt leftist
@sean: yea ‘rightist’… sorry I’ll get my coat.
I thought twas free, 5 euros a month getaway out of it…
The podcast is going to be journalists interviewing other journalists?
So, like the late late show, but it costs extra….pass!
definitely better to sign up….
Da fuk is the 42
@Faixa Roxa: There is a hidden clue in the headline if your clever enough to find it.
@davcar: a long shot I’d say, give him a hand with his shoelaces will you
Not about the cost but the principle, so The 42 I will not be signing up as all content is available on other social nedia sources, its not like you provide inside scoop stories.
That said all the best with the venture but please don’t start shoving adverts down our throat and then pull the bullshit of the premier version being ads free or something…
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: couple of points here. Firstly the writing from the 42 is easily the highest quality of all such online media. Secondly the 42 will remain the same for non paying users, the sub service is clearly for the many extras including podcasts, interviews and competitions and not for info freely available elsewhere. Clearly you feel entitled to receive such a service for free but ya know that’s not how the world works and maybe you don’t know this but it’s your choice whether you subscribe or not.
Personally a fiver a month is very affordable for people who enjoy such content but there will always be whingers who want everything free.
Firstly the quality of writing is far higher than the other similar online sites. Secondly the usual output remains free and people choose to pay for extra which is not information free elsewhere but includes podcasts, interviews, competitions etc and is your choice whether to subscribe or not. Media changing rapidily and clearly the 42 are moving with it. A fiver a month is excellent value imo but there are always whinge bags ready to knock ideas. Just don’t sign up if you don’t want to, it’s pretty simple.