No Tour de France for Mark Cavendish as Sam Bennett is confirmed fit by Lefevere

The Deceuninck - Quick-Step boss said taking Cavendish as well would cause too much doubt in Bennett's mind

Mark Cavendish
(Image credit: Getty)

Deceuninck - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere has said there is no chance Mark Cavendish will ride the 2021 Tour de France as Sam Bennett has now been confirmed fit and recovered from his knee injury.

The Belgian also ruled out the possibility of taking both sprinters, as Cavendish has proved resurgent since joining the team at the start of the year, saying that the presence of the 30-time stage winner would cause too much distraction for last year's green jersey winner.

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Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.

I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.

Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).

I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.