This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Mark Cavendish will take an indefinite break from cycling after being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, commonly known as glandular fever.

The 33-year-old has won 30 Tour de France stages, four behind the record held by Belgium’s Eddy Merckx.

His Team Dimension Data squad announced his enforced rest on Wednesday, with Cavendish saying: “I’ve been advised to take a period of total rest in order to fully recover.”

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Team Dimension Data said Cavendish had been “unknowingly training and racing with EBV over recent months”.

The Manxman was first diagnosed with the virus, which is an illness associated with fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and sometimes an enlarged spleen, in April 2017.

“This season I’ve not felt physically myself and despite showing good numbers on the bike I have felt that there’s been something not right,” Cavendish said.

“Given this and on the back of these medical results, I’m glad to now finally have some clarity as to why I haven’t been able to perform at my optimum level during this time.

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“I’m now looking forward to taking the time necessary in order to get back to 100 per cent fitness before then returning to racing again at peak physical condition.”