Mark Cavendish to race Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, as Bradley Wiggins is confirmed for Three Days of De Panne next week
Mark Cavendish has added another race to his schedule, the Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday in Belgium, ahead of Ghent-Wevelgem on Sunday (March 29). Bradley Wiggins‘s participation in the Three Days of De Panne, starting next Tuesday, was confirmed by the organiser.
“I’m very happy I’m able to ride Dwars door Vlaanderen because it’s a Belgian race,” Cavendish told Belgian newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad.
“I’m really looking forward to start after the frustration of Milano-San Remo. After working all winter towards Sunday, a mechanical failure stopped me from sprinting for victory.”
The Etixx-QuickStep rider added that he would normally have just had Sunday’s Ghent-Wevelgem in his programme this week.
Mark Cavendish wins the 2015 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
He will race with 2014 Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Niki Terpstra and World Champion Michal Kwiatkowski. Etixx’s team also includes Iljo Keisse, Yves Lampaert, Nikolas Maes, Matteo Trentin and Guillaume Van Keirsbulck.
Cavendish raced Dwars door Vlaanderen once before in 2012 with team Sky and placed 58th.
Last Sunday in Milan-San Remo, his chain derailed on the outside of his chainring on the Cipressa climb. He explained after the race that he paid from the energy he spent to return to the main pack. Cavendish said, “It didn’t just cost me a little bit, it crippled me.”
Bradley Wiggins chases on stage six of the 2015 Paris-Nice (Watson)
Wiggins is due to race the E3 Harelbeke on Friday, the Three Days of De Panne, the Tour of Flanders, Scheldeprijs and his last race in team Sky’s colours, Paris-Roubaix on April 12.
The Three Days of De Panne organiser confirmed Wiggins’ participation today.
“We were delighted when we heard that Wiggins will race again,” said the race’s press chief, Johan Van Hecke.
“He will no doubt want to show his rainbow jersey in the time trial on the final day. Maybe he’ll do as well as in 2009.”
Wiggins last raced it in 2011. In 2009, he won the final day’s 15.3-kilometre time trial in team Garmin’s colours ahead of Lieuwe Westra and Stijn Devolder.