The Manxman returns to the Tour after a difficult start to the year

“The Tour de France is not only the biggest cycling event on the planet but it’s one of the biggest sporting events on the planet; and it’s the best platform to get across what we as Team Dimension Data do for our charity Qhubeka, to get people in rural parts of Africa on bicycles.

“I’m excited to be part of a strong team and I’ll be looking at getting closer to that record (34) of Eddy Merckx.”

As usual, he’ll be supported by long-time lead-out man Mark Renshaw, as well as three-time stage winner Edvald Boasson Hagen, who took over sprint responsibilities last year after Cavendish crashed out.

The rest of the team is made up of Belgians Julien Vermote and Serge Pauwels, South Africans Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Jay Thomson, and The Netherlands’ Tom-Jelte Slagter.

The Tour de France kicks-off on July 7 in Vendée, however Cavendish will make his last racing appearance before the Tour at the British Road National Championships road race on Sunday.

Dimension Data line-up for the 2018 Tour de France

Mark Cavendish
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Mark Renshaw
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg
Serge Pauwels
Julien Vermote
Tom-Jelte Slagter