Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) has been forced to abandon the 2017 Tour de France after breaking his shoulder in the stage four crash which led to world champion Peter Sagan’s (Bora-hansgrohe) expulsion from the race.
Cavendish, who only returned to the peloton last month after three months out with glandular fever, crashed heavily into the barriers in the final sprint after Sagan came off his racing line and then appeared to elbow the Manxman.
Cavendish was treated on the road and crossed the finish line with his hand bandaged but left with his arm in a sling as he awaited x-rays on his injury.
And after a broken shoulder was confirmed, the 30-time stage winner will play no further part in this year’s race.
Cavendish hailed his team-mates as he contemplated the ‘really sad’ end to his 2017 Tour, saying in a team statement: “I’m obviously massively disappointed to get this news about the fracture. The team was incredible today. They executed to perfection what we wanted to do this morning.
Unfortunately, @MarkCavendish has been forced to withdraw from #TDF2017.
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— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) July 4, 2017