Tom Boonen may race the Giro d’Italia in May for the first time in hist 14-year career, according to Etixx-Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere, but Mark Cavendish will not ride the year’s first Grand Tour.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lefevere confirmed ahead of Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix that Cavendish will head across the Atlantic to take part in the Amgen Tour of California.

The Manxman won two stages in California last season in a race won by Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins, and claimed the sprinter’s jersey in 2009 when racing for Columbia-High Road.

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Before this, however, Cavendish will head east to the Presidential Tour of Turkey and could be joined by Boonen, who has not raced since suffering a separated shoulder at Paris-Nice in March.

The Belgian was ruled out of his beloved cobbled classics but took part in a reconnaissance of the Tour of Flanders with his Etixx teammates before the race, where Niki Terpstra finished second.

Should Boonen’s return go smoothly, the 34-year-old could take to the start line of the Giro on May 9 in San Lorenzo.