The four remaining stages in the Alps are where the race will be won, with Cavendish’s fellow Briton Chris Froome (Team Sky) in the overall lead. I wish Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka and all the other competitors luck in the final few days into Paris, a special place that I will definitely miss the emotions of this year.
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Cavendish said he took the decision to leave the Tour “with great sadness”.
But his early withdrawal from the peloton will deny him the chance of a fifth stage win in this year’s race on the Champs Elysees on Sunday.
Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after finishing in the leading pack in a twisting course finale in the Swiss capital. “I’ve raced like this since I was young”.
The yellow jersey wearer is now one minute 47 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Bauke Mollema.
Tour de France leader Chris Froome believes there has been a palpable shift in the public’s perception of him following his decision to publicise results of physiological testing towards the end of a year ago.
“I am asked why guys didn’t attack two stages ago (in the 14th stage of Culoz) but Fabio Aru, Alejandro Valverde and Romain Bardet did”.
Cancellara, who has won seven Tour stages in his career and worn the yellow jersey for 29 days, is retiring at the end of this season.
World champion Peter Sagan pipped Alexander Kristoff in a photo finish to win the 16th stage of cycling’s Tour de France yesterday.
He tried to pick up time gaps on the weather-shortened stage 12 to Mont Ventoux, only to suffer a freaky crash in the chaotic scenes on the mountain and being reduced to running uphill on foot until help could get through. “He chooses when he wants to go in the breakaway, how he wants to ride the finish”.
(Froome) looks strong. I can’t see him having a bad day, but why not? “I said at the beginning of the race I wanted to be at my best in the third week and I’m on track for that”.
Quitting the race before the Alps was always a likely scenario for Cavendish once he had completed the stages that he could realistically compete in.
Sources at British Cycling had indicated to the Guardian in mid-June that a withdrawal on the Tour’s second rest day would be the preferred option as that would give Cavendish six clear-cut sprint opportunities, while also allowing him time to recuperate before Rio.
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Wednesday: Stage 17 is the first Alpine stage, a 115-mile ride to the ski resort of Finhaut-Emosson, Switzerland, including a punishing 6.2-mile final climb.
