Sprint star Mark Cavendish is not in his team’s squad for the Tour de France. Another well-known driver is also missing from the start list.
For sprinter king Mark Cavendish and two-time road bike world champion Julian Alaphilippe, hopes of participating in the Tour de France (July 1 to 24) have been dashed. Both are absent from the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl squad.
Cavendish (37) was preferred to Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen (25). The four-time world champion from Great Britain does not get the chance to leave the legendary Belgian Eddy Merckx behind. With 34 stage successes, both are at the top of the all-time Tour winner list.
Alaphillipe does not start either
The Frenchman Alaphilippe only returned to racing at the national championships at the weekend, nine weeks after his serious crash in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic. The 30-year-old suffered a broken shoulder blade, two broken ribs and a lung injury at the end of April.
“The decision to leave Julian at home was a very difficult one,” said sporting director Tom Steels: “Julian has worked hard to get back in shape. But for a rider like him it’s always important to be able to be able to fight with the best.” It was decided “to give him more time to recover”.
Alaphilippe won the mountain jersey in the Tour of France in 2018, and the all-rounder finished fifth in 2019. In the last four years he has won at least one stage at the Tour, which starts in Copenhagen this season.