Cycling

Cavendish pulls out of De Panne race

ESPN staff

April 1, 2014

Cavendish first fell ill after the Milan-San Remo, where he finished fifth © AP

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Mark Cavendish has been forced to pull out of the Three Days of De Panne race in Belgium through illness.

The three-day, four-stage event began today and was set to be Cavendish's comeback race after being sidelined with gastroenteritis. His race programme will be now need to be re-evaluated ahead of the summer.

The Manxman first fell ill after finishing fifth in the Milan-San Remo and withdrew from last Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem Classic. He will now return home to rest and recover.

"I'm really disappointed," said a statement from Cavendish released through the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team.

"Sunday I felt better, and I was able to train well, but Sunday night I was sick again and had diarrhoea.

"I decided to come to the race anyway, hoping that the situation would improve, but I started vomiting and having diarrhoea again last night, at about 2am.

"I'm in no shape to start, especially because I can't eat or drink anything.

"After San Remo I wanted to continue to get some good results and ride well both at Gent-Wevelgem and here at the Driedaagse.

"It really is a big disappointment not to be able to race."

ESPN staff