Mark Cavendish: Fallout into stage 10 incident continues

The Dutch race is one of a number of lucrative one-day events riders are invited to after the three-week spectacular, with Boxmeer scheduled for July 22, just one day after the Tour comes to a conclusion in Paris.

Cavendish faced criticism over his move during the sprint finish on Tuesday in Saint-Malo, when he bumped Dutch rider Tom Veelers and sent him sprawling to the tarmac as he battled for stage victory.

Veelers appeared to come off a straight line after leading out Argos-Shimano team leader Marcel Kittel, who went on to claim the stage, and Cavendish was cleared of any wrongdoing by Tour commissaires after watching video replays of the finish.

But the British champion was targeted by supporters during Wednesday's time-trial, when he was jeered by sections of the crowd and even sprayed with urine by one roadside spectator.

Former rider Twan Poels, member of the Boxmeer organising committee, is reported to have said: "We may be looking for a sprinter, but Cavendish is not that. I have seen the TV images of the sprint together with the board and I decided to take him off the list.

"Simply put we find his actions not very good. The jury may think he is not responsible for the fall of Tom Veelers - we absolutely believe otherwise."

That announcement has been seen in some circles as an attempt to gain publicity for the race and Cavendish's team boss Patrick Lefevere said: "It says more about them than Mark Cavendish. Classless."