Mark Cavendish said he is keen to stay with his Belgian Etixx-Quick Step team after ending his two-year wait for a Tour de France stage win.
The 30-year-old Briton’s contract at Etixx runs out at the end of this year and team manager Patrick Lefevere said he had been waiting “for a sign” before starting contract negotiations.
“I’ve grown with this team, I’m really happy, you can see the ambience we’ve got at Quick Step. I’d love to stay here, I really would,” said Cavendish after winning Friday’s seventh stage from Livarot to Fougeres, his first Tour stage win since July 12, 2013.
“It’s a very Belgian team. If you know the Belgian people, they’re kind of warm, we’re a small community team.
“They really have their roots, like a family going out and racing. They live for cycling, for riding bikes.
“All the marketing and publicity that goes around professional cycling takes a back seat to racing bicycles. I’m a fan of racing my bike. It means everything to me to be around a team of like-minded people.
“It’s really nice to come away and race with like-minded people.”
Lefevere said he was happy for Cavendish and said his sprinter had deserved a win earlier in this Tour, having finished third and fourth in the two previous sprint finishes.
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