Cavendish title defence ends

Valkenburg, Netherlands - British rider Mark Cavendish's defence of his cycling world road race title ended in disappointing fashion on Sunday as he retired from the race with 111km to go.

The 27-year-old had not been expected to be a contender for the title this time round as the undulating 267km course was less suited to his talents than the one he won on in Copenhagen last year.

Cavendish - who last year became the first British rider since the late Tom Simpson in 1965 to win the world title - had set the pace on several occasions at the head of the peloton before finally giving up.