THE disastrous crash that changed Mark Renshaw’s Tour de France role could become a major boost for the Bathurst cyclist at the Commonwealth Games.

Renshaw has been renowned for several years as the main lead out man for British sprint ace Mark Cavendish.

But Cavendish crashed out of the tour in stage one and his serious shoulder injury also ruled him out of the Isle Of Man team for the Commonwealth Games.

Cavendish would have been the rider to beat if the road race at the Games came down to a bunch finish.

Now it is much more open for Renshaw and the other fast men in the field.

Renshaw is one of several riders who will do the Tour de France-Commonwealth Games double.

Australian team director Brad McGee has made it clear that he regards Renshaw as much more than their lead out man for their teenage sensation Caleb Ewan.

The tour ends in Paris on July 27 and the Games road races for the men and women are on August 3.

“Mark has huge potential and capabilities,” McGee said. “In many ways, he’s still on the up.

“His experience with Cav over the years is obviously something to be considered, but Mark is in there because of the ability ... to manage himself through the Tour.

“Those golden Tour legs, with the experience he has, put together with some young fellahs in there, [it’s] a good mix.”

Once Cavendish crashed out of the Tour, Renshaw was able to test himself in the sprint finishes during the opening week of the race.

He has been able to post several top-10 stage finishes, which includes a third placing.

Still, Renshaw’s promising form might come to nothing in the Games road race because there are no guarantees it will come down to a bunch sprint.

The shorter race distance and smaller team sizes mean events such as the Games or Olympics are much harder to control.

“It’s unpredictable and we expect bad weather on a tricky, technical course,” McGee said.

Joining Renshaw and Ewan in the road race team will be captain Simon Clarke, Nathan Haas and two out of their three starters in the individual time trial – Luke Durbridge, Rohan Dennis and Michael Hepburn.

Clarke and Durbridge are also riding in the Tour de France for Australian team Orica-GreenEDGE.

Predictably, McGee is giving nothing away about team tactics.

“I can say each rider has been selected for a very specific reason and we look forward to coordinating all their talents and efforts and experiences in the best possible way for the race,” he said.

“It’s been very strategic, the selection.

“Given the nature of a smaller team, you have to have confidence in each of those boys to be able to deliver on the day.”