Briton to square up against Thomas, Kennaugh, Dowsett, Clancy and Keisse
World road race champion Mark Cavendish will end a two and a half-year absence from track racing when he lines out in the next round of the Revolution series in ten day’s time. The world’s fastest sprinter will show off his speed to what should be a packed Manchester velodrome, and will go head to head with several other strong road riders who came from a track background.
Also confirmed are Sky Procycling riders Pete Kennaugh, Alex Dowsett and Geraint Thomas, who took a gold medal in the Beijing Olympic Games, as well as another Olympic champion, Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor Sharp) plus his team-mate Andy Tennant, the European champion. Former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt and Steven Burke will line out for UK Youth.
Together with international track riders Franco Marvulli and Iljo Keisse, the racing is likely to be highly competitive.
“Mark raced Revolution regularly in the early years so it is fantastic to welcome him back as the world road race champion” said James Pope of Face Partnership, who are involved in organising the event. “After such a fantastic year on the road the Revolution crowd are going to provide a hero’s welcome to Cav so it will be a special evening.”
The race is likely Cavendish’s last with the HTC Highroad team as his contract ends in December. He will then transfer to the Sky Procycling squad on a multi-million Euro contract, heading the squad in the Tour de France and other races next season.
The Manx rider has a strong early history of track racing, taking track world championship titles in the Madison in 2005 and 2008, winning a Commonwealth Games scratch race in 2006 and becoming European points race champion in 2005.
The Revolution races will take place on Saturday November 19th, with some tickets still available. TV highlights will be shown two days later.