Mark Cavendish has been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, commonly known as glandular fever.

Here, Press Association Sport wonders what the diagnosis means for the Manxman.

Record in reach?

Eddy Merckx has the record for Tour de France stage wins, at 34
Eddy Merckx has the record for Tour de France stage wins, at 34 (PA Images)

Cavendish is 34 next May. Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 stage Tour de France stage wins is still tantalisingly close. It is already 10 years since the first of Cavendish’s 30 Tour stage wins. He has bounced back so often before that Cavendish should never be written off. However, time is against him. It is two years since Cavendish last won a Tour stage, but he has won four stages at two Tours, five at two and six at one. The race defines Cavendish’s season and career. Whether he will be a record breaker or not will be determined in the next two years.

History repeated

Mark Cavendish took the yellow jersey at the 2016 Tour de France
Mark Cavendish took the yellow jersey at the 2016 Tour de France (Ian Parker/PA Images)

When Cavendish was first diagnosed with Epstein-Barr in April 2017, he downplayed its impact. “I’m absolutely fine. As anything with me it’s been blown out of proportion,” he said then. “It’s just about how well you manage it and that’s how quickly you come back.” The timing is better on this occasion. Cavendish returned to the Tour then, just 10 weeks later. Now he has plenty of time to recuperate and recover to refocus on next year’s Tour.

Latest setback

Mark Cavendish crashed out of the opening stage of the 2014 Tour in Harrogate, Yorkshire
Mark Cavendish crashed out of the opening stage of the 2014 Tour in Harrogate, Yorkshire (Martin Rickett/PA Images)

Cavendish crashed out of the 2014 and 2017 Tours with shoulder injuries. He says the joint will never be the same and the long-term impact of the injuries means he may never be the same racer – power is needed from the upper body to get over the handlebars into an aerodynamic position. It is debilitating and may hamper Cavendish, even if he can make a full recovery from Epstein-Barr.

Contract uncertainty

Cavendish’s initial three-year contract with Team Dimension Data is set to expire at the end of this year. Team boss Doug Ryder, speaking before the Tour, said there was an “agreement in principle” to extend for a further two years. The contract may be being tinkered with as a result of the latest news. Performance-related deals are not unheard of in sport.

Tokyo tilt?

Whether Cavendish achieves the Tour record or not, he may have unfinished business at the Olympics. After two grave disappointments, the Manxman won a silver medal in the omnium at the 2016 Games in Rio. With the return of the Madison, the two-rider relay, for Tokyo, there is the tantalising prospect of Cavendish racing with Geraint Thomas, this year’s Tour winner. Both have Madison pedigree.