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Cape Town - Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka has confirmed that Mark Cavendish will make his return to racing at the upcoming Tour de Yorkshire in early May.
In addition, the team announced that Serge Pauwels will return to defend the title he won in 2017.
The race is scheduled for May 3-6.
Cavendish has not raced since a major crash in the final stages of Milan-SanRemo in March, the results of which saw him break a rib and sustain an ankle injury. That incident saw the Manxman miss, among other races, the recent Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia.
"I’m delighted to have recovered sufficiently from my injuries at Milan-SanRemo to be back racing sooner than I initially thought and what better way to do that than at what could be described as a home race for me, the Tour de Yorkshire," said Cavendish.
"My mother’s from Harrogate and obviously the last time I raced things didn’t go that great (for me) in the 2014 Tour de France; but one thing I do remember is the incredible crowds and I know that the Tour de Yorkshire always provides. It’s the first time that I’ve raced the Tour de Yorkshire and I’m extremely excited.
"Results-wise; I’m not sure where my form will be only having had a couple of weeks back on the bike but I’ll just be absorbing the atmosphere in one of the most beautiful places in the world," he added.
Pauwels, meanwhile, has had a busy start to 2018 and is currently in the middle of Ardennes classics but already has one eye on repeating his success of last year.
"I am very excited to defend my title at the Tour of Yorkshire. It’s one of my favourite races, not only because I won it last year but because the course suits me and there is always a great ambience from the passionate spectators.
"I’ve had a look at the course for 2018 and it looks really hard again. There’s two flatter stages but then the uphill finish on the second stage will probably change the dynamics of the race a little bit. The last day’s going to be really tough again so really looking forward to racing Tour de Yorkshire again and especially as Mark will be there with us, it’s going to be a very important race," said Pauwels.
The rest of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka’s line-up for the event will be announced in due course.
