Mark Cavendish has pulled out of the World Championships because of poor race form after illness in the Tour of Missouri.
Cavendish was unable to train as he wanted after suffering from a lung infection in the States and although still on the GB list until today, finally opted to pull out.
GB men's road coach Rod Ellingworth said "Mark doesn't feel he could contribute and do a good job, he didn't want to hold the team back. It's a little disappointing for the team, but Mark did the right thing. Like other riders have done he took a step back for the good of the squad."
"Ian Stannard has come in to replace him. Ian went back to Tuscany after the Tour of Bitain and kept training so he can fit in smoothly. It's something we've worked on this year, everybody in the team including the reserves have all been prepared with contingency plans, just in case anything happened."
A questionmark remains whether Cavendish will return to racing in October or if he will simply call it a day for 2009.
"At the moment nothing else is planned," Ellingworth said, "but it's up his team to decide his program."
The starting nine are:
Stephen Cummings
Russ Downing
Chris Froome
Roger Hammond
Dan Lloyd
David Millar
Ian Stannard
Ben Swift
Geraint Thomas
Road World Championships 2009: Related links
News
Ellingworth explains Cavendish withdrawal from Worlds
Dowsett happy with world-class rinde in under-23 TT
Manning praises Dowsett after Worlds TT ride
It's Cavendish or Stannard for final worlds place
Great Britain names world championships team
Millar won't ride worlds time trial despite Vuelta win
Wiggins quits Tour of Britain to focus on worlds TT
Out of sorts Cooke abandons Tour de l'Ardeche
Cavendish keen to ride worlds despite illness
Millar set to lead GB road race team at the Worlds
Brits head home to fight for worlds places
Reports
Under-23 Men Time Trial
Women's and under-23 men's time trials as they happened
Photos
Under-23Men Time Trial gallery by Graham Watson
External links
Road World Championships 2009 official website
Union Cycliste Internationale website
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