Believe: Achieving the Impossible

by Mark Cavendish

320 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2025

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading Believe: Achieving the Impossible by Mark Cavendish. The racing stories were great and give a good insight into what it’s like competing at the top level, especially in the Tour de France.

I also liked the parts about his relationship with Gleb Ryzhov and how he took him under his wing – it added a really personal side to the story.

I already knew a bit about Cavendish from watching a few documentaries, but the book gave a better understanding of the challenges he went through, especially with Epstein–Barr virus and how the media can sometimes create their own narrative.

Definitely recommend it if you enjoy the Tour de France and want a bit more insight into Mark Cavendish himself.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cav is a cycling legend and the pride of the Isle of Man and in this book he details how, against the odds, he achieved a Tour de France stage win record. The first part of the book mainly deals with negotiations with teams which I didn't find that interesting but my admiration grows as Cav details the difficult circumstances he encountered subsequently. I particularly enjoyed reading about "the Cavendish method" which seemed wonderfully Manx to me.

[Robbie Tyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before starting this book you can probably tell what’s in it - some background, something not going right, a crash, the comeback, the stage win that this book is about, and then some words about the state of cycling to end it.
Nice book, typical Cav style which is enjoyable and pretty straightforward to read. 307 pages read in one day. Simple.