Mark Cavendish leaves Team Sky to join Omega Pharma-QuickStep

Mark Cavendish is to leave Team Sky and join Omega Pharma-QuickStep before the start of the 2013 season. In September, he confirmed his desire for an "amicable" split as he looked for a team that would support his aim to win sprint stages and points jerseys. The 2011 world champion won 15 stages at Team Sky. "Mark has been a true champion for us this year," said Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford. "It's been an honour having the world champion's rainbow jersey in this team and great to work so closely with a rider I've known since he was a junior. He has been a real team player, making history in a Tour de France winning team. Cav won 15 races with us, including his first stage race, three Tour stages, and the fourth win in his unbeaten run on the Champs Elysees. The sight of him winning in Paris, with the yellow jersey leading out the world champion - both in Team Sky kit - is something you'll never forget. We all wish Mark the very best with his future ambitions in a new team and as British rider." Cavendish, who last year became the first British rider in the history of the Tour de France to win the green jersey for the best sprinter, joined Sky on a three-year deal after the HTC-Highroad team disbanded at the end of the 2011 season. Cavendish was the team leader at HTC and had claimed 20 Tour de France stage victories.He found himself in a support role as Sky, a team which prioritised general classification victories. Cavendish managed another three stage wins this year but was only given full lead-out support on the last two of those wins, on stages 18 and 20, as the team concentrated on securing the yellow jersey for Bradley Wiggins. At the time, Cavendish said that his position at Team Sky was like "putting Wayne Rooney in defence." "Sad to see my mate Mr Mark Cavendish leaving Sky, it's been a pleasure this year and the highlight leading out the man on the Champs Elysees," Bradley Wiggins wrote on Twitter. Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford said in September that Cavendish was "quite within his rights" to want a team dedicated around him and his priorities. Cavendish's switch to the Oemga Pharma team was made easier on Tuesday after they sacked American cyclist Levi Leipheimer because of his role in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal. Last month's Tour of Britain proved to be his final race with Team Sky, and he claimed victory on the final stage in Guildford. You can already bet on who will win the 2013 Tour de France. Current holder Bradley Wiggins has odds of 11/2 at Bet365.