Cabinet reaffirms Saudi position of resolving conflicts through diplomatic means    Saudi FM receives message from Iranian counterpart    AlUla becomes favorite global summer destination for photography enthusiasts    Foreign Trade Authority leads Saudi negotiating team in second round of GCC-Japan FTA Talks    Crown Prince extends period of study to regulate landlord-tenant relationship to 90 days    130 charities say controversial Gaza aid group must be shut down    Inzaghi hails 'historic' Al Hilal win over Man City: We climbed a mountain with no oxygen    Milinković-Savić says Al Hilal proved critics wrong after historic win over Man City    Al Hilal stuns Man City and stirs the world: 'One of the greatest nights in Saudi club football'    Michelin Guide launches in Saudi Arabia with phased rollout in 2025    Spanish PM's former aide detained without bail in corruption probe    US skips global UN meeting in Spain aimed at raising trillions to combat poverty    Al Hilal stun Manchester City in seven-goal thriller to reach Club World Cup quarterfinals    EU and Ukraine strike less ambitious but 'realistic' trade deal    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    New Social Insurance Law comes into force on Tuesday    Over 190,000 Umrah visas issued since start of the season    PIF assets soar to $1.15 trillion in 2024    Historic Jeddah's visual identity re-imagined through global art installations at Al-Arbaeen Lagoon    Brad Pitt's Los Angeles home 'ransacked', police say    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Cavendish quits Tour to focus on Rio
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 07 - 2016

British sprinter Mark Cavendish withdrew from the Tour de France Tuesday to focus on his bid for a first Olympic medal at the Rio Games in just over two weeks.
The 31-year-old won four stages this year and now has 30 in the bag overall, meaning the "Manx Missile" is creeping up on Belgian legend Eddy Merckx and the all-time record of 34 stage wins.
There are five stages left in the race this year, four of which are in the Alps, but Cavendish will not now be starting stage 17 Wednesday.
"After an extremely enjoyable and successful couple of weeks at the Tour de France with Team Dimension Data, it is with great sadness that I took the decision today to leave the race," Cavendish said in a statement.
"After the heat and intensity of the previous stages, we analyzed my fatigue levels and decided I'm at a point that would have a detrimental effect on my other big goal for the year, the Olympic Games.
"To leave a race and organization that I hold so much respect for and a team that I have such a special bond with has not been an easy decision at all."
Douglas Ryder, the team principal, paid tribute to Cavendish and said he respected his decision.
"He managed to put on his first ever yellow jersey and to carry the green jersey into the first rest day in Andorra was just exceptional," he said.
"He has been a great team leader over the past two weeks and a great ambassador for everyone involved in this team and for the greater cause we ride for.
"Mark is really sad to leave the tour, we are committed to support him in his dream goal of receiving a medal for Britain at the Rio Olympic Games."
Australian Rohan Dennis similarly quit the Tour on Tuesday's rest day to concentrate on his Olympic preparations.
Dennis, 26, who won the opening stage time trial at the Tour last year and wore the race leader's yellow jersey for a day, was sitting 126th overall at more than two and a half hours behind leader Chris Froome. The Rio Games start on August 5.


Clic here to read the story from its source.