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Cavendish to have surgery on damaged shoulder

Omega Pharma-Quick Step team rider Mark Cavendish of Britain gets assistance after crashing during a mass sprint next to the finish line of the first 190.5 km stage of the Tour de France cycling race from Leeds to Harrogate, July 5, 2014. REUTERS/Fred Mons/Pool (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Mark Cavendish needs shoulder surgery as a result of the opening-stage crash that ruled him out of the Tour de France, his Omega Pharma-Quick Step boss Patrick Lefevere said on Monday. The former world champion had hoped to win his 26th Tour stage in Harrogate on Saturday but was involved in a spectacular accident in a bunch sprint to the finish line. "It's not good news," Lefevere told reporters after the third stage from Cambridge to London. "The ligaments are torn. "It's the worst scenario. He will have to have an operation this week and will be out for six weeks." Lefevere said the surgery would take place in Hamburg, Germany. "It's worse than I was hoping but immediately after the crash I knew something was really wrong," said Cavendish who will also miss the July 23-Aug 3 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. "It is really painful but at the moment all I can do is focus 100 percent of my effort on my recovery to be able to get back racing as quickly as possible," he added in a statement. The surgery will take place on Wednesday. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Julien Pretot/Tony Goodson)