World road race champion Mark Cavendish has confirmed he will join Team Sky for the 2012 season.

The sprinter with 20 Tour de France stage wins to his name had been widely linked with a move to the British team after former team HTC-Highroad folded after the 2011 season.

The Manxman, who won the world championship title in Copenhagen last month, will be joined by his HTC-Highroad team-mate and key lead-out man Bernhard Eisel at Sky.

Cavendish said: "I've made my decision, I'm going to join Team Sky next year and I'm really excited.

"I'm super-excited, most of the riders I've grown up with, and the management. I know it's a great, great set-up there. It's probably the biggest team in cycling right now."

Next summer promises to be a busy one for Cavendish, with the Tour de France finishing the week before the Olympic Road Race in London, which takes place on Saturday 28th July 2012.

"July is always the high point of the season for me," added Cavendish. "Most of the favourites for the Olympics will be riding the Tour de France anyway. Hopefully I can get through the Tour de France in the best shape I can and win stages along the way."

Asked if he will receive the same support at Sky in riding for stage wins as he did at HTC-Highroad, Cavendish said: "I think it'll be fine, you know, obviously my job is to win bike races, I'm not going to go to a team where I won't be able to win bike races, for sure it's one of the biggest factors.

"If you pull together as a group of nine you can overcome anything. I'm confident with the guys at Sky we'll be able to challenge for yellow jerseys, stage wins, whatever we want."

Cavendish's close friend Eisel said: "I'm really happy. I've had a great time with HTC-Highroad but at soon as I heard the team was folding I knew I would have to explore other possibilities and Team Sky were right at the top of my list ...

"Everything is catered for the riders and I think that's the perfect way to run a professional cycling team. The fact that I wanted to stay with Cav was also a major factor and we're both happy that we will now have more years ahead of us."

Bradley Wiggins, who finished third in the Vuelta a Espana this year and fourth in the Tour de France in 2009, said: "I think I speak for everyone in the squad when I say that we're all delighted to have Cav joining us at Team Sky.

"He is the best sprinter in the world and has an energy and passion for cycling that is infectious. Team Sky has enjoyed a fantastic second season and Mark's signing is another statement of our intent for next year and beyond."


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