Last updated on .From the section Cycling

Cavendish is four short of Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins at the Tour de France

Great Britain's Mark Cavendish has pulled out of Sunday's European Championships road race in Glasgow on medical advice.

The 33-year-old sprinter, who has 30 Tour de France stage wins, was eliminated from this year's edition after falling victim to the time limit.

"I've been advised that at this stage the best thing is for me to withdraw," said Cavendish, who will be replaced by Mark Christian.

"It's incredibly disappointing."

The British team also includes Adam Blythe, Owain Doull, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift and Scott Thwaites.

Cavendish had previously described the return to the Glasgow streets where he won the national road race title in 2013 as "pretty special".

However, he has had a string of injuries this year.

He withdrew from the Abu Dhabi Tour after suffering concussion and whiplash and crashed out of the Tirreno-Adriatico in a incident that left him with facial cuts and sore ribs.

Cavendish also suffered a broken rib and an ankle injury in the Milan-San Remo one-day race in March.

He failed to register a single point in the green jersey classification before he finished the Tour de France early on stage 11.

He finished 12th in the RideLondon-Surrey Classic last month.