Mark Cavendish to miss Milan-San Remo
The Brit will not return to the sprinter’s Monument this season
Mark Cavendish will not ride Milan-San Remo, his team have confirmed.
The Brit had been expected to ride the first Monument of the season for Dimension Data, but has been returning to form after a long illness.
Cavendish was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus in 2017 and has been on the road to recovery since.
The 33-year-old Manxman pulled out of Paris-Nice last week on stage two, with his team saying he still needed to “work his way back towards full fitness.”
>>> Five things to look out for at Milan-San Remo 2019
After Cavendish abandoned Paris-Nice, Dimension Data sports director Rolf Aldag said: “Mark Cavendish was forced to stop on the back of a challenging two days.
“The race was just his third back, following already tough outings at the Vuelta a San Juan and the UAE Tour, as he continues to work his way back towards full fitness following a long lay-off from racing due to illness last year.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The team announced their line-up for Milan-San Remo on Thursday morning (March 21), confirming that Cavendish would not start.
Instead the South African outfit will be resting their hopes with sprinter Giacomo Nizzoli, who joined the team this season, and strong lead-out rider Reinardt Janse van Rensburg.
Cavendish, who won the 2009 Milan-San Remo, is currently down to ride Scheldeprijs and the Tour de France.
>>> Milan-San Remo 2019: Route, confirmed start list and TV guide
After being eliminated from last year’s Tour for finishing outside the time cut on stage 11, Cavendish then only rode the RideLondon-Surrey Classic in July before ending his season.
He returned to racing at the Vuelta a San Juan in January, taking a top-10 finish on stage one.
Cavendish then lined up at the UAE Tour, finishing 10th and 13th on the opening two stages.
But the frantic crosswind racing in Paris-Nice took its toll on the peloton, with Cavendish being one of nine riders abandoning by stage two.
Dimension Data line-up for Milan-San Remo 2019
Giacomo Nizzolo
Roman Kreuziger
Steve Cummings
Enrico Gasparotto
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg
Tom Jelte Slagter
Bernie Eisel
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
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
$1,000 fenders?! Titanium protection that comes at a price
We look at No.22's beautifully made but ruinously expensive mudguards, plus other eye-catching tech that will test your bank balance to the limit
By Luke Friend Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson: 'I would like to go for GC in a Grand Tour at some point'
'It’s been everything that I’ve dreamed of so far' says American as he reflects on debut season with Visma-Lease a Bike
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish set to end his career at Tour de France Singapore Criterium
Event will be Cavendish's final appearance for Astana Qazaqstan after he won a record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage in July
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I've lived everyone’s dream': Mark Cavendish hints at snap retirement after last ever Tour de France stage
The Manx Missile is the 2024 Tour's lanterne rouge
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'I'm so tired': Emotional Mark Cavendish thanks teammates after surviving Tour de France time cut
The Briton is just two days away from finishing the Tour de France for an eighth time
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Mark Cavendish makes time limit on stage 19 - and four other tales of riders who survived the Tour de France cut-off
Brit finishes with more than five minutes to spare on Isola 2000
By Tom Davidson Published
-
End of an era: Witnessing Mark Cavendish's last ever Tour de France sprint
The Astana Qazaqstan rider finished 17th in Nîmes in what is almost definitely his last ever sprint at the Tour. Cycling Weekly was there to see it
By Adam Becket Published
-
Mark Cavendish 'upset and angry' after being relegated for 'deviation' on Tour de France stage 12
The Astana-Qazaqstan rider originally finished fifth, before being relegated
By Adam Becket Published
-
Rod Ellingworth 'totally open' to Mark Cavendish making Tour of Britain appearance
'There will always be a place for Mark' says race director after Cavendish’s Tour de France record breaking triumph in Saint-Vulbas
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish says he has 'one' opportunity left to take another Tour de France stage win
The Manxman was left frustrated after finishing 18th on stage 10
By Adam Becket Published