Cavendish to pace himsef at Tour

Mark Cavendish believes he is in the form of his life ahead of the Tour de France which starts in Liege on Saturday.

The World Champion has once again shone this season, winning three stages at the Giro d'Italia in May, as well as taking the overall victory at the recent Ster ZLM Toer in Holland. The 'Manx Missile' has already won an incredible 20 stages at the Tour but says he'll be using the race as preparation for the Olympic Road race in London. The chance to win a much coveted gold medal comes just six days after the conclusion of La Grande Boucle and Cavendish is the favourite to win the race, having won the practice event earlier this year. With team-mate Bradley Wiggins a genuine contender for the Maillot Jaunel, the 27-year-old accepts that he may have to take a back seat but says he still expects to achieve some success at the race. "I probably won't win as much personally, in stages, but to be part of a team that holds real ambitions of winning the Tour de France overall, it's an honour for any bike rider," said Cavendish. "My form is really good, best it's been for a few years coming into the Tour. I might not absolutely dominate the sprints but I should be there or thereabouts."