( CNN ) -- HTC-Highroad , the cycling team that top Tour de France sprinter Mark Cavendish races for , is to fold at the end of the season . Bob Stapleton , manager of the United States team , said Thursday that closing was the best option after a deal with a potential partner broke down over the weekend . HTC have racked up 93 victories between their male and female riders in 2011 , and are the sport 's most successful team in the past three years . In a statement Stapleton said : `` After an exhaustive search to secure long-term sponsorship we have concluded that it 's time to release our team members to pursue other options . `` Our team 's success has been based on our outstanding people . It 's in their best interest that we make this decision now . '' Cavendish , has won 20 stages of the Tour de France for HTC-Highroad , and claimed the green jersey -- for the event 's best sprinter -- in the most recent installment that finished last month . In further quotes carried by AFP , Stapleton added : `` Our view was that if we could n't be close enough on financial firepower , we could n't consistently outperform with far less money . `` And if we could n't be in a leadership position in the sport , then we were n't going to be in a position to drive change and that was our fundamental mission coming in , and if we were n't going to succeed in that , then it was best to let people go and pursue their own interests . '' Since launching in 2008 , HTC-Highroad has won 484 races including 54 grand tour stages .
Force team HTC - Columbia to fold at the end of the season . Deal with potential other teams over the weekend . Bob Stapleton , manager of the U.S. team , says closing is the best option .