Mark Cavendish rues lack of British riders at Tour de France

When the Tour de France begins on Saturday in Leeds, England, only four British riders will be on the starting line. And it’s eating up Mark Cavendish. With cycling’s showcase event starting in Britain for the second time in eight years, the ace sprinter expected a stronger presence from local riders. “In an ideal world I’d have liked to have seen more Brits at this Tour de France,” Cavendish said on Thursday. Alongside the sprinter, the three other British riders involved in the three-week race are defending champion Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates. Bradley Wiggins, the first Briton to win the Tour, was not selected by his team, Team Sky. – AP