The Cavendish question

What exactly are the future plans of World Road Champion Mark Cavendish as he struggles through the mountains to complete the Giro d'Italia?

The question among commentators is this; why exactly is Cavendish so determined to make it to Milan? And how does that determination affect his plans for the Tour de France and later on at the Olympic road race, where he is a burning hot home ground favourite for the gold?

And lets not forget that with every passing day in the Giro d'Italia grupetto, Cavendish spends a few valuable chips that could be useful at the Tour de France.

Earlier this year when Cavendish first signed on with Team Sky it was said by team directors they would approach the Tour de France with the difficult goal of winning both the Yellow and Green jerseys, a task last completed in 1997 by Team Telekom's Jan Ullrich and Eric Zabel.

But that goal may now be in doubt, with Team Sky increasingly looking like it will throw the majority of its Tour de France resources behind Bradley Wiggins in a major push toward its yellow jersey project, while Cavendish is left to focus on gold in London.

It is possible that Cavendish may be on a program that does not include the biggest race of the season, at least if you listen to what Lotto-Belisol hard man Adam Hansen said overnight at the Giro d'Italia.

Hansen is an integral member of the sprint train that supports Cavendish's rival and former team mate, Andre Greipel. The German sprinter is running a schedule that does not include any head-to-head meetings with Cavendish as he builds up to the Tour.

But will Cavendish even be at the Tour start line to contest the sprints or points for the Green Jersey with Greipel?

Based on the above selected grab from Hansen's longer interview with Cycling Central analyst David McKenzie, that may be an even money question.