Cavendish Bows Out of Tour After Record Four Wins
After winning four stages, Mark Cavendish has pulled out of the Tour de France to concentrate on the Beijing Olympics
Mark Cavendish has pulled out of the Tour de France in order to avoid compromising his Olympic hopes.
Cavendish had struggled in the previous Pyrenees stages, and with the Tour moving into the Alps, the Team Columbia rider opted to pull out ahead of the 15th stage.
Team manager, Bob Stapleton, said Cavendish's decision to sacrifice the next few days would help ensure a successful next few years.
The 23 year-old from the Isle of Man – who has sprinted to four stage wins – has been one of the stars of this year's tour and made history by becoming the first Britain to claim more than two victories in a single year.
Cavendish had struggled in the previous Pyrenees stages, and with the Tour moving into the Alps, the Team Columbia rider opted to pull out ahead of the 15th stage.
Team manager, Bob Stapleton, said Cavendish's decision to sacrifice the next few days would help ensure a successful next few years.
The 23 year-old from the Isle of Man – who has sprinted to four stage wins – has been one of the stars of this year's tour and made history by becoming the first Britain to claim more than two victories in a single year.

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