Mark Cavendish unsure when he'll return to racing after Tour de France crash
Mark Cavendish joins Omega Pharma team-mates in France during second rest day
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mark Cavendish returned to the Tour de France on Monday during a team Omega Pharma-QuickStep press event, but remains unsure when he will race again following a crash in stage one.
"Obviously, I can't compete until I'm guaranteed that there will no more shoulder damage," Cavendish explained. "I've had an easy-ish season so far, so I want to finish the season strongly. I want to do it properly."
Cavendish crashed in Harrogate, ruptured the ligaments around the AC-joint and separated his shoulder. He underwent surgery four days later in Manchester to fix his ligaments.
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are out of the question for Cavendish, who returned to training on his fixed bike at his home in the Isle of Man. The Vuelta a España, too, running from August 28 to September 14, could be at risk. It leaves 'Cav' essentially without a Grand Tour in his legs for the first time since the 2006 season.
"I'm not pain-free, but I'm able to use my arm to lift things and hold things. I've got movement," he said. "The strength has gone a little bit, but I can ride my bike, and that's the main thing."
Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step, which announced it will become Etixx-Quick Step for 2015, runs two simultaneous racing programmes after the Tour de France ends on July 27 in Paris. If Cavendish does not slot into Omega's Vuelta plan, he could race with the team that heads to the Tour of Poland, the Eneco Tour, RideLondon-Surrey, Hamburg, Quebec and Montreal. Cavendish just needs to see how fast he can re-join the action.
"It seems the recovery is faster than we had hoped," Cavendish said. "I can start to train but the problem is that if I crash again... It was a grade four tear of the ligament, which was worse than we expected in the first days."
Cavendish won nine times this year already. Omega Pharma and Cavendish ideally want to get rolling again before the curtain closes on 2014 so that they can hit 2015 at full steam. Cavendish appeared determined, but also with the desire to return "properly."
"I don't want to be just riding around, and I don't want to crash and damage my shoulder still further," he said.
"I don't know how soon [my return] will be. We're going to talk about it. I'm pretty realistic that I can't jump back into competition tomorrow, but I'd like to get back as soon as possible."
Mark Cavendish: Tour de France crash 'could have been worse'
British sprint star Mark Cavendish philosophical over Tour de France exit as a result of crash
Mark Cavendish out for six weeks after shoulder surgery
Mark Cavendish to have surgery on shoulder injury sustained as a result of crash on stage one of Tour de
Mark Cavendish unlikely to race in Vuelta a Espana after Tour de France crash
Mark Cavendish recovering from surgery to repair shoulder injury sustained on opening stage of Tour de France
Thank you for reading 10 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
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Coros Apex 2 Pro review - phenomenal battery life and finally a wrist-based HRM that works
An all-adventure Indiana Jones of a GPS watch with exceptional battery life and a host of features you may or may not find a use for in your daily regime
By David Bradford • Published
-
Faster and better wet weather grip: Goodyear launches second gen road tire range
Five years since launching its first generation road tire line, Ohio-based tire company, Goodyear, today unveiled its latest generation of road tires, said to be 35% fasters ad 19% grippier.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Signing of Mark Cavendish leads to end of Scicon's Astana Qazaqstan sponsorship
Cavendish along with several other teammates currently wearing Oakley sunglasses during competition
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘That’s not bad’ - Mark Cavendish pleased with first podium finish for Astana at UAE Tour
The British road champion recorded his best race result since joining Astana Qazaqstan
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Speed Demons of the peloton: The six best sprinters of 2022
We take a look at the standout performers of the fast men and women in the professional scene this year
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
British UCI Continental team makes pitch for Mark Cavendish’s signature
Saint Piran boss Ricci Pascoe says he would gladly provide a short term place for Cavendish, if it helped him to achieve Tour de France dream
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
B&B Hotels, the team that was set to sign Mark Cavendish, collapses
Multiple riders left scrambling to find places on alternative teams after demise of French ProTeam confirmed
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
B&B Hôtels boss: 'Mark Cavendish wants to be with us. I want him to be with us.'
Team's hunt for sponsors intensifies after missing UCI registration deadline
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Time running out for B & B Hotels, the team expected to sign Mark Cavendish
Team still without major sponsors as UCI impose deadline of 22 November for team to complete registration for new season
By Tom Thewlis • Published