A few weeks ago, we revealed the latest mammoth project we’ve been working on over at Road Book HQ.
The Cav Book 2006-2024 is a comprehensive breakdown and analysis of the truly unique career of Sir Mark Cavendish. Edited by renowned veteran journalist Ian Cleverly, The Cav Book features the same attention to detail, deep passion for the sport, and beautiful presentation that our standard ‘Red’ editions are famous for, and applies them to a completely fresh format.
Ian has used his editorial brilliance to tie together the writing of key players in Cav’s career, statistics and breakdowns of every single one of his 165 career wins, alongside infographics and a selection of beautiful photographs to create the first Road Book focused on the achievements of a single rider. Not to mention a foreword from the man himself.
If you’re finding yourself a little overwhelmed by all this content then have no fear, over the next few days we will be breaking down the various different segments of this immense tome, explaining what they are, and offering a few tantalising tasters of what's to come.
Today we’re taking a peek at the 4 essays provided for the book by some of the figures on whom Cav left an indelible mark. The likes of Rod Ellingworth, Brian Holm, William Fotheringham and Ned Boulting have contributed to what is a mouth-watering selection of essays, each providing their own unique insights into the mind of Mark Cavendish.
Rod Ellingworth – Worlds in Motion
'Cav had said it from the start, as a teenager. He was very, very clear. For him it was all about the rainbow jersey, and the pride that comes from wearing that jersey.'
First up to the start line, we have Rod Ellingworth: former pro, Cav’s coach on Team Sky and the Great Britain team and currently working with Bahrain Victorious. A crucial figure in Sir Mark’s career, Ellingworth was with him from the start. He helped to mastermind Project Rainbow and played a fundamental role in the development of the man we know as The Manx Missile. In this essay, Rod tells us exactly what it took to take a smart, talented kid with awful time management, to World Champion. If you’ve ever wanted to know just how Cav likes his finishing straits, where Ellingworth watched THAT 2011 finale from, or simply who the only rider allowed to slap Cav on the head is, you will love this feature as much as we do.
Brian Holm – Curbing Cav’s Enthusiasm
'I've never seen anything like it, before or since.'
A reliable domestique for Bjarne Riis’ 1996 Tour de France win, Holm is perhaps best known for his work as a sports director at various teams. He was also a highly motivational figure in the life of Mark Cavendish, even riding in the team car alongside Ellingworth for Cav’s 2011 World Championship win.
Holm explains why working with Cavendish requires a little less carrot, and a little more stick. A fascinating glimpse behind the curtain at the inner machinations of one of cycling’s greatest riders from another crucial figure in Cav’s career. Holm delivers a series of brilliant anecdotes which reveal just how tough Mark Cavendish is, the true extent of his mental resilience across almost 20 years of professional racing, through the ups and the downs. If you’ve ever wondered which race almost – almost –scuppered Holm’s chances of being Cav’s best man, look no further than Curbing Cav’s Enthusiasm.
William Fotheringham – Chairman of the Boards
'You could argue that track racing was the foundation of pretty much everything that Cavendish did...'
Author and journalist, Fotheringham has written books on the greats – Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi, Tom Simpson and Beryl Burton, to name a few – and as Guardian cycling correspondent, covered the entirety of Mark’s career. Fotheringham has been there, eyes glued to events, throughout the entirety of Mark’s career.
In his essay, Chairman of the Boards, Fotheringham shines a light on an often-overlooked part of that career: Cav’s track racing days. With amusing insights into Mark’s boyish off-the-track antics, alongside a glimpse into just how much the track really meant to Cavendish, Fotheringham’s essay provides a valuable alternative viewpoint on the Manx Missile.
Ned Boulting – A Man of the World
'How dare someone else invent a sport without first consulting us? What, exactly, was the Tour de France? And, most importantly of all, who the hell was this Mark Cavendish bloke?'
With a career that has spanned darts, football and over 20 years covering the Tour de France - not to mention his indefatigable fascination with culture, history and literature with which Ned so eloquently colours his writing - there is no one more qualified to answer the question: "Where does Cav sit in the pantheon of British sporting greats?"
If you told us you’d never been sat in the pub, four pints down, trying to convince your poor non-cycling fan friends that Cavendish as a sportsman is better than George Best, Lewis Hamilton or Phil 'the Power' Taylor; we'd not believe you. Thankfully, Ned has now provided the comprehensive answer. We recommend you pick up an extra copy of The Cav Book, just so you can carry it with you on your next trip to your local boozer in order to educate your poor misled friends.
A wonderfully funny, typically brilliant piece from Boulting. In one line flippantly laying claim, on behalf of the nation, to inventing all sport; in the next throwing a severe jab at the injustices and hypocrisies of modern sport. All whilst keeping Mark Cavendish firmly in the picture as perhaps Britain’s greatest, and yet most underappreciated, sportsman.
There you have it, a selection of essays so mouth-watering, you’ll have to get your most reliable domestique to head back to the team car for a bidon. The Cav Book 2006-2024 will be available for pre-order on July 3rd. If you're on the Waitlist you'll be able to get your hands on this seriously limited collectors’ edition of The Road Book from 10am - six hours before the general public.
