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Mark Cavendish left out of Tour de France squad

Mark Cavendish left out of Tour de France squad
© Reuters
The 106th edition of the Tour begins on Saturday in Brussels.

British rider Mark Cavendish has been left out of Team Dimension Data's squad for the Tour de France.

Team principal Doug Ryder said the eight riders "best suited to meet the team's objectives" had been selected.

Edvald Boasson Hagen, Stephen Cummings, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg, Michael Valgren, Roman Kreuziger, Giacomo Nizzolo, Ben King and Lars Bak have been chosen ahead of 34-year-old Cavendish.

Cavendish's best result this season was third place on stage three of the Tour of Turkey in April.

"Really excited to announce this great group of riders who we feel will be the best suited to meet the team's objectives we have set out for this year's Tour de France," Ryder said in a statement.

The 106th edition of the Tour begins on Saturday in Brussels.

It will be the first time since 2006 that Cavendish will not be competing.

Cavendish will not wear the green jersey this summer
Cavendish will not wear the famous green jersey this summer (Anna Gowthorpe/PA)

Cavendish, who missed the second half of last season due to Epstein-Barr virus, is four shy of equalling Eddy Merckx's all-time Tour record of 34 stage wins.

He competed in the Tour of Slovenia last month and then finished 22nd at the British National Championships road race on Sunday.

In 2011, Cavendish became the first Briton to win the green jersey at the Tour after finishing with five stage victories.

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