Tour de France 2016: Mark Cavendish withdraws 'with great sadness' in bid to focus on Olympic gold dream

Cavendish has never won an Olympic gold medal and will compete for Team GB at Rio 2016, but leaves one of his most successful Tour de France's of his career

Mark Cavendish has withdrawn from the Tour de France to focus on the Rio 2016 Olympics (Getty)

Mark Cavendish has taken an early leave from what could be remembered as one of his most successful appearances in the Tour de France.

Cavendish announced late on Tuesday's rest day that he was leaving the Tour to focus on his preparations for the Olympics, saying that to stay in the race through the Alpine stages to come could have a "detrimental effect" on his bid to win gold in the omnium in Rio next month.

Cavendish departs having claimed four stage wins for Team Dimension Data, moving to second all-time with 30 career Tour stage wins, and having worn the yellow jersey for the first time in his career after victory on stage one to Utah Beach.

The Manxman collected stage wins in fives and sixes during his heyday - winning 16 between 2009 and 2011 - but this year's haul is more than he has managed in the past three Tours combined.

The sprint game has changed in recent years and he defied the expectations of perhaps everyone but himself in dominating once again.

Following his day in yellow an Olympic gold - or medal of any colour - is the one thing missing from Cavendish's glittering palmares.

He quit the Tour after his first four stage wins in 2008 to switch focus to the Madison, and after finishing only ninth in Beijing alongside Bradley Wiggins despite the pair being world champions, he vowed never to voluntarily leave the Tour early again.

The fact he has gone back on that promise proves his desire for Olympic glory in what could be the 31-year-old's final chance.

"After an extremely enjoyable and successful couple of weeks at The Tour de France with Team Dimension Data, it is with great sadness that I took the decision today to leave the race," Cavendish said in a statement.

"After the heat and intensity of the previous stages, we analysed my fatigue levels and decided I'm at a point that would have a detrimental effect on my other big goal for the year, the Olympic Games.

"To leave a race and organisation that I hold so much respect for and a team that I have such a special bond with, has not been an easy decision at all."

Cavendish's one remaining Tour goal had been Sunday's finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, where he won four times in a row from 2009 to 2012, but he would have had to navigate the Alps to get there.

The four remaining stages before the traditional parade into Paris are where the race will be won, with Cavendish's fellow Briton Chris Froome of Team Sky in the overall lead.

Mark Cavendish celebrates clinching his fourth stage win of the 2016 Tour de France (Getty)

Cavendish will now recuperate before joining up with the British track team at their pre-Rio holding camp in Newport.

As well as the six-discipline omnium, Cavendish is reserve rider for the four-man, four-kilometres team pursuit.

Dimension Data team principal Doug Ryder said: "Mark is really sad to leave the Tour. We are committed to support him in his dream goal of receiving a medal for Britain at the Rio Olympic games."

PA