Ushered dolefully into the back of an ambulance, Mark Cavendish crashed out of his farewell Tour de France after being dealt an impossibly cruel hand.
Just 24 hours after he was left “devastated” after being denied a record 35th career stage win, pipped on the line by Jasper Philipsen, the Manx missile's bid for sprint immortality ended in the pain of a broken collarbone.
So Cavendish, who announced he will retire at the end of the season, is now destined to remain tied on 34 stage wins with Eddy Merckx when the credits roll.
