Sprinter Mark Cavendish is the rider with the record for the most Tour de France stage wins. The Manxman took his first win in 2008 at Chateauroux riding for Team Colombia and took number 35, 16 years later in Saint Vulbas riding for XDS Astana.
The record makes Cavendish the greatest sprinter in Tour de France history as the riders directly below him in the list are all GC riders until number six, André Darrigade, who won his stages in the late 50s and early 60s. Below him, Freddy Maertens won 15 stages and Marcel Kittel, a rival of Cavendish’s for several seasons, is on 14.
Part of Cavendish’s success was the length of his career as a successful bunch sprinter. Darrigade won his stages over an 11 year period, while Maertens was successful over six years while Marcel Kittel packed his wins into just five years.
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The only rider in the list still competing is Tadej Pogačar who, after his win on Alpe d’Huez, hit 26. Whether or not he beats Cavendish would seem to depend on how long the Slovenian keeps riding as he is still only 27 years old. His 26 wins come from seven editions of the race, an average of 3.7 stage wins a year.
Tour de France stage wins
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) 35
2. Eddy Merckx (Bel) 34
3. Bernhard Hinault (Fra) 28
4. Tadej Pogačar* (Slo) 26
5. André Leducq (Fra) 25
6. André Darrigade (Fra) 22
7. Nicolas Frantz (Lux) 20
8. François Faber (Lux) 19
9. Jean Alavoine (Fra) 17
=10. Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 16
=10. René Le Greves (Fra) 16
=10. Charles Pelissier (Fra) 16
13. Freddy Maertens (Bel) 15
14. Marcel Kittel (Ger) 14
15. Philippe Thys (Bel) 13
*Rider still competing
Tour de France days in yellow
(Image credit: Yuzuru Sunada)
Tadej Pogačar is also climbing up the list riders with the most days in the yellow jersey. As he heads for a fifth win from seven attempts (that included two second places) since 2020, he has rarely been out of yellow. Although his first Tour win in 2020 resulted in just one day in yellow after he took the lead on the penultimate day with a sensational mountain time trial up La Planche de Belles Filles, which saw him snatch yellow from his countryman Primoz Roglič.
1, Eddy Merckx (Bel) 96
2. Bernard Hinault (Fra) 75
3. Tadej Pogačar* (Slo) 69
4. Miguel Indurain (Esp) 60
5. Chris Froome (GBr) 59
6. Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 50
7. Antonin Magne (Fra) 38
=8. Nicolas Frantz (Fra) 37
=8. Philippe Thys (Bel) 37
10. André Leducq (Fra) 35
Number of Tour de France General Classification wins
=1. Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 5
=1. Eddy Merckx (Bel) 5
=1. Bernard Hinault (Fra) 5
=1. Miguel Indurain (Esp) 5
=5. Tadej Pogačar* (Slo) 4
=5. Chris Froome (GBr) 4
=7. Philippe Thys (Bel) 3
=7. Louison Bobet (Fra) 3
=7. Greg LeMond (USA) 3
13 more riders have won the Tour de France twice
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