Mark Cavendish has been forced to withdraw from this year's Tour de France.The Manx Missile was involved in a heavy crash at the end of stage four of the 2017 edition on Tuesday afternoon.

The Manxman was sent tumbling into the hoardings at full speed as he contested the sprint finish in Vittel after more than 200 kilometres of racing.

The Team Dimension Data rider had appeared to be boxed in but managed to get on the wheel of eventual winner Arnaud Demare, only for world champion Peter Sagan to clip Cav with an elbow which sent him crashing into the hoardings before landing heavily on his right shoulder on the Tarmac.

Whether Sagan’s elbow was intentional or not remains unclear but Cavendish stayed down to receive lengthy treatment before eventually getting up and crossing the finish line.

The Manxman has since travelled to hospital where he underwent X-rays which confirmed that he has broken the same shoulder he injured in Harrogate when the Grand Depart took place in Yorkshire in 2014.

It comes as a bitter blow for the former world champion whose season has already been curtailed after he was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Syndrome earlier this year.

*Sagan has since been disqualified from the race.*More in Thursday's Manx Independent.