Mark Cavendish set to stay with Dimension Data

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Despite being heavily linked with a transfer, Mark Cavendish is set to remain at Dimension Data next year. Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the British sprinter has reached an agreement to add another year to his contract.

Cavendish had been linked with a move away from the South African team, and he and his representatives had talked to a number of teams over the past few months. 

A move to Bahrain-Merida, in a deal that was said to tie in with incoming sponsorship from McLaren, seemed close, but the 33-year-old now appears to be staying put. 

Relations between Cavendish and the Dimension Data team management deteriorated following the Tour de France but Cyclingnews understands that a face-to-face meeting with team manager Doug Ryder in mid-September improved the situation. 

Cavendish joined the team when it stepped up to WorldTour level in 2016. He won four stages of that year's Tour de France but has only won two races in the past two seasons as he has struggled with illness and injuries.

At the end of August he revealed he had been diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus for a second time. 

A further year with Dimension Data could also see Bernhard Eisel and Mark Renshaw, two members of Cavendish's entourage who followed him to Dimension Data, renew their contracts as well.