Manx Missile suffers heat stroke during first day of Tour de France

The Manx Missile has suffered from heat stroke during yesterday’s Tour de France opener.

Cavendish’s pursuit of a record-breaking 35th stage victory was put into question by an apparent illness.

He and several of his Astana-Qazaqstan team-mates were still negotiating the final climb up to San Marino, and eventually finished 39 minutes behind the winner, France’s Romain Bardet, just inside the time cut. 

Cavendish had been dropped on the opening climb, and appeared to be vomiting as he struggled in intense heat, with his team-mates pouring bottles of water over him.