Cavendish one of the first to sign

T-Mobile's Mark Cavendish was the first, along with Sandy Casar, to sign the UCI's rider's anti-doping declaration. He subsequently flew back to the Netherlands and raced in the prologue of the Ster Elektrotoer that evening. "A stressful venture, but I made it," he told Sportwereld.

"I really don't know why they chose me," he said. "Perhaps because I am British and have never been confronted with doping. And maybe because I'm an example of the new generation, right? I don't give a f**k what has gone on in the past," the 22 year-old Manxman declared. "I just want to build up my career without worrying."