Cavendish won't rule out sprint finish at worlds

Sprint king Mark Cavendish has refused to rule out his chances of being crowned world champion at the road race championships here on Sunday.

Cavendish was reported to have said he had little chance of winning cycling's coveted rainbow jersey because the course's 15.9 km circuit, which has two climbs and finishes on a slight rise, is too difficult.

The 25-year-old Isle of Man rider is known mostly for his victories on flatter terrain which is favourable to sprinters. At the Tour de France this year he took his stage victory tally to a remarkable 15.

Cavendish, however, was perhaps given hope after he saw the under-23 men's race, held on the same circuit Friday, finish in a bunch sprint, with Australian Michael Matthews taking the honours.

While Cavendish refused to be drawn on his chances, he was quick to play down reports in which he said he would have to "review" his ambitions.

"I've never said that the race could not end in a bunch sprint. All I said was that the course was hard," he told AFP.

"I still think there's a possibility it could finish in a bunch sprint."

The last time a British male won the world road race title was Tom Simpson, in 1965. The Englishman tragically died on the slopes of the Mont Ventoux two years later.

Ahead of the women's and men's road races on Saturday and Sunday respectively, Britain have had a successful championships so far.
Emma Pooley won gold in the women's time trial while David Millar took silver behind Fabian Cancellara in the men's race against the clock.

In the elite men's road race, however, Cavendish will have only Millar and Jeremy Hunt for support -- and the trio face a potential tactical dilemma.

The numerically superior Italians and Belgians, with Filippo Pozzato and Philippe Gilbert respectively, have come to the event with all-rounders who will work hard to drop as many sprinters as possible.

Spain will be counting on Oscar Freire, a sprinter who can climb well and is known to like slightly uphill finishes like the one in Geelong.

Australia have a nine-man team of riders with different abilities, including reigning champion Cadel Evans, an all-rounder, and two sprinters in Allan Davis and Matthew Goss.