Mark Cavendish to make Bahrain-McLaren debut at Saudi Tour

Mark Cavendish will make first appearance for Bahrain-McLaren at the Saudi Tour this week, the team has announced.

Cavendish signed for the WorldTour squad over the winter after spending four years with Dimension Data.

The 34-year-old Manxman is targeting his first victory on the road since the start of the 2018 season.

The five-day Saudi Tour is a new race for 2020 and will take place between Tuesday and Saturday.

Cavendish will lead the team’s sprint ambitions, supported by Germans Phil Bauhaus and Marcel Sieberg, while Slovenian rider Jan Tratnik is set to target the overall classification.

“We expect a lot from Mark and Jan Tratnik. We are racing close to Bahrain, so a win close to home would be very welcome,” said sports director Franco Pellizotti.

Fellow Briton Fred Wright will be making his professional debut at the five-day race with Heinrich Haussler and Grega Bole completing the seven-man line-up.