LONDON (Reuters) – Mark Cavendish was named in Britain’s road squad long list for the UCI World Championships on Monday although his chances of racing look slim after he crashed out of the Tour de France at the weekend.
Cavendish features in a high-powered squad list that also includes 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas and 2015 world road champion Lizzie Deignan.
Thomas will compete in the time trial.
Whether or not Cavendish is able to compete depends on his recovery from a broken collar bone sustained when crashing on Saturday — an incident that appeared to have ended his hopes of winning a 35th Tour stage to beat the record he shares with Belgian great Eddy Merckx.
British Cycling are awaiting a full medical bulletin from his Astana Qazaqstan team.
“The road world championships are always a unique experience as we bring Grand Tour riders back into the GB squad to put on their home jersey and represent their country,” Great Britain Cycling Team Head Coach Jon Norfolk said in a statement.
“It’s great to see Grand Tour winners such as Geraint Thomas returning to where their journey started and being part of a squad alongside the next generation of riders.”
Thomas’s Ineos Grenadiers team mate Tom Pidcock, currently riding the Tour, is also on the long list.
Deignan has been selected after giving birth to her second child last September and will be joined by world under-23 road race silver medallist Pfeiffer Georgi.
“We have a really exciting team who I can’t wait to race with. I feel like form is gradually returning after the birth of Shea in September last year, and it will be good to be back on familiar roads in Glasgow where I’ve had previous success at nationals and the Commonwealth Games — lots of happy memories so I look forward to returning,” Deignan said.
The road and time-trial events form part of an 11-day programme of 13 world championship events taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland from Aug. 3-13.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)
