Cycling news - Mark Cavendish set to miss out on Tour de France as Sam Bennett declared fit - reports

Published 18/06/2021 at 08:02 GMT

36-year-old Isle of Man sprinter Mark Cavendish looks set to miss out on a surprise inclusion in Deceuninck-QuickStep's Tour de France squad as the team's lead sprinter Sam Bennett is expected to be fit for the Grand Depart. The Irishman's troublesome knee problems are reported to have cleared up in time for him to compete.

Mark Cavendish wins in the Tour of Belgium

Image credit: Getty Images

Mark Cavendish is set to miss out on a surprise return to Tour de France duty after Deceuninck-QuickStep’s lead sprinter Sam Bennett has been declared fit to return to action.

Bennett has been struggling with a persistent knee problem as he prepares to take part in the Tour de France later this year, and has been replaced by the veteran Manx rider at the Baloise Belgium Tour.

Cavendish secured a stage win as the 36-year-old rider showcased his return to form despite his advancing years.

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Cavendish has also claimed victory at four Tour of Turkey stages this year, and team head Patrick Lefevere was believed to be considering his inclusion for the biggest event of the year. The cyclist himself earlier refused to rule out taking part, but understood that his role rested on Bennett’s ability to compete.

Cyclingnews.com reports that Bennett has now demonstrated to his team’s medical department that he will be ready for the opening stage on June 26.