A small cloud appeared on the horizon for Mark Cavendish when his team, Columbia HTC, confirmed that main lead-out man Mark Renshaw has been advised to rest for at least two months after falling ill with Epstein-Barr virus.
Cavendish attributed his success last year to the brilliant lead-outs he received from the Australian, who uses his own exceptional pace and ability to read a race to plot a way through the bunch and shepherd Cavendish to within 300 yards or so of the finish.
Renshaw was diagnosed two weeks ago and advised to take a break for several months. He had been scheduled to ride the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic in Geelong, the Australian Open Road Championships and the Tour Down Under.
"We don't see his 2010 season goals in any danger," said team manager Rolf Aldag. "He would have loved to race in Tour Down Under but we are confident that he will once again show great performances in the Grand Tours as a lead out for Mark Cavendish, and that he will be just as strong as he was this year.
"He may even be fresher for the second half of the season, when the World Championships take place in his home country."
Epstein-Barr virus, which is related to mononucleosis, is the same virus which knocked Renshaw's Columbia team-mate, Michael Rogers, out for most of the 2008 season.
Although Columbia are upbeat, the worry with Renshaw would be that like many post-viral conditions, it lingers much longer than the original prognosis.
Columbia will be hoping for the best because the departure of the experienced George Hincapie at the end of last season has already seen them forced to reorganise their lead-out train.
Renshaw, 27, turned pro with FDJeux.com in 2004. He rode for Credit Agricole from 2006 to 2008, before joining Columbia in 2009.
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