Cycling: Cavendish to ease back as Armstrong pulls out

An early season blighted by illness means defending champion Mark Cavendish faces an uphill fight today in the Milan-San Remo Classic, while Lance Armstrong has pulled out of Italy's biggest one-day race because of gastroenteritis.

Cycling's most prolific winner in 2009, including six Tour de France stages, Cavendish has yet to win in 2010 after a tooth infection wrecked his pre-season and his team say a Milan-San Remo triumph is unlikely.