Mark Cavendish makes British cycling history with Milano-Torino victory

A British rider had never won the Italian classic.

Mark Cavendish celebrates winning Milano-Torino (Gian Mattia D’Alberto/AP) (AP)

Mark Cavendish became the first British winner of Milano-Torino with his third victory of the season on Wednesday.

Cavendish, riding the Italian classic for the first time in his career, got the ideal lead-out from his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team-mate Michael Morkov before holding off Nacer Bouhanni and Alexander Kristoff for his first European win of 2022.

“Really happy, back with Morkov again,” Cavendish said. “Dialled in you know, that team.

“For a one day race you have to be dialled in, you have one opportunity. Like you’ve seen, it’s incredible. Super happy, first time I’ve raced Milano-Torino.

“Obviously normally it’s a hilly race. So to see my name next to the riders who have won this in history is quite special.”

The win was Cavendish’s first in Italy since 2014. This season, it adds to the 36-year-old’s stage wins at the Tour of Oman and the UAE Tour.