Cavendish to be offered 2024 Tour chance by team

Cavendish broke a collarbone as he crashed out of what was set to be his final Tour de France before retirement.

Mark Cavendish's team are to offer him the chance to attempt to win a record 35th Tour de France stage in 2024.

Cavendish is equal with five-time Tour winner Eddy Merckx on 34 stage wins.

"We want Mark to continue and be able to run his 15th Tour de France to win his 35th stage," Astana Qazaqstan team manager Alexandre Vinokourov said.

• Sadness and tears as Mark Cavendish breaks collarbone in Tour-ending crash

He told French newspaper L'Equipe: "I myself suffered a fractured femur in 2011 on the Tour, it was to be my last year. But I didn't want to stop like that. I extended and fought to win the Olympic Games in London the following year.

"Mark has the same mind, the same will to achieve his ultimate goal. We are ready to offer him this possibility. But it is he who will decide."

Cavendish, who announced in May that he would retire at the end of the season, fell in an innocuous looking crash about 60km from the finish of stage eight.

It came a day after falling short of a record-breaking 35th stage victory at the Tour.

He has competed in 14 Tours since making his debut in 2007, but has now failed to complete seven of those.