Team Dimension Data sprinter Mark Cavendish will miss the Tour de France for the first time since 2006.
Cavendish, 34, is not among a team of eight riders competing in cycling’s event with Giacomo Nizzolo and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg leading the team’s sprinters at the event.
He has been struggling with illness, and has been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr syndrome, but finished 22nd at the British National Championships road race on Sunday.
The 106th edition of the Tour begins in Brussels on Saturday, and is live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player.
Cavendish will miss out on the world’s biggest cycling race for the first time in 13 years.
The Manxman continues to chase Belgian icon Eddy Merckx‘s record tally of 34 stage wins. He is four behind on 30, but doubts will be raised about his prospects of reaching the record haul.
British veteran rider Stephen Cummings, 38, makes the cut despite having struggled this season.
“I was pleasantly surprised about the Tour selection, I wasn’t expecting that,” said Cummings, who has won two stages at the Tour in 2015 and 2016.
“I’m very grateful to the team again for the opportunity to go to the Tour and I’m looking forward to the challenge.
“I think it’s a pretty open Tour, there are a lot of chances to be aggressive and I think it suits the team that we have very well and I hope that we can have a great July and every one can be proud of us.”
