CAVENDISH PULLS OUT OF WORLDS TEAM
Having returned back home from the Tour of Missouri, Mark Cavendish has decided to pull out of the Great Britain team for the World Championships and end his season.
A replacement to complete the six-man team will be announced tonight.
The 23-year-old has 17 wins to his name, including two Giro d'Italia stages and four Tour de France stages, in a road season that started in February at the Tour of California and spanned more than 80 days of racing.
Last week he won three stages at the Tour of Missouri but has decided a trip to Varese, Italy, for the World Championship road race on September 28 would be a step too far.
"I just rang Max [Sciandri] to let him know I don't want to do the Worlds," Cavendish said.
"I am tired. I am really beat. I know I won three stages in Missouri but I've got nothing left in the tank. I've been racing full-on since February and the Worlds isn't a race you can just turn up to and get round.
"It's got nothing to do with the course. If I was on form I think I'd have the best chance of anyone in the team to do something, but I am not on form. I've had the journey back from Missouri, which has also really taken it out of me. It's the best thing to let someone else take the place."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The Great Britain team will be David Millar, Chris Froome, Steve Cummings, Ian Stannard and Russell Downing plus one more.
Coach Sciandri said he would discuss with Shane Sutton the options, but would be referring back to the four riders on the original short list ? Rob Hayles, Dan Fleeman, Dan Lloyd and Geraint Thomas.
Lloyd crashed in the Tour of Britain. Thomas's name was not actually submitted to the UCI as one of the nine possible entrants, so he appears to be out of the running.
It means the final spot could go to national champion Hayles or Fleeman, who was a useful seventh in the Tour of Britain.
RELATED LINKS
Great Britain names six for men's road race at the World Championships
Britain's World Championship shortlists: men, women and under-23
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Sports journalist Lionel Birnie has written professionally for Sunday Times, Procycling and of course Cycling Weekly. He is also an author, publisher, and co-founder of The Cycling Podcast. His first experience covering the Tour de France came in 1999, and he has presented The Cycling Podcast with Richard Moore and Daniel Friebe since 2013. He founded Peloton Publishing in 2010 and has ghostwritten and published the autobiography of Sean Kelly, as well as a number of other sports icons.
-
Eddy Merckx hospitalised after bike crash
79-year-old cycling legend required to undergo surgery on broken hip
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Seventies star says Tadej Pogačar's long range attacks would never have been allowed in his day
The Slovenian might be the best today, but he isn't better than we were, the Belgian insists