Mark Cavendish out of next week's World Championships

Mark Cavendish will not race at next week’s UCI Road World Championships as a result of the shoulder injury he sustained at the Aviva Tour of Britain last week, which is worse than was initially thought.

The Etixx-Quick Step rider was injured during Stage 6 of the race from Stoke-on-Trent to Norringham when he crashed into a parked car on Gun Hill.

– Video – Mark Cavendish’s Tour of Britain crash

Cavendish, who won the rainbow jersey in Copenhagen in 2011, joins Tour de France champion Chris Froome and Commonwealth champion Geraint Thomas in pulling out of next week’s event.

Shane Sutton, British Cycling's technical director, said; "It’s a real blow for Mark to have to pull out of this year’s race as we thought he had a great chance of being successful.

"Unfortunately the injury he sustained during last week’s Tour of Britain is more serious than we had hoped. We wish him well in his recovery.”

Froome, who had planned to ride the time trial and the road race, fractured his anlle in a crash at the Vuelta earlier this month, an injury that has ruled him out of competing at Richmond.

Team Sky colleague Thomas, meanwhile, is said to be exhausted after riding both the Vuelta and the Tour de France, where he rode strongly I support of Froome and was himself challenging for a podium place until the final days.