Cav outpaced but Brit keeps green jersey
BRITISH cyclist Mark Cavendish finally lost a sprint finish at the Tour of Turkey yesterday when he was pipped to the line in the fifth stage by Italian Elia Viviani.
Omega Pharma Quick-Step rider Cavendish, who won three of the first four stages, darted for home 200m from the finish only to be overtaken by Cannondale’s Viviani.
Cavendish retained the green jersey for the points leader, while Britain’s Adam Yates is six seconds behind leader Rein Taaramae, of Estonia, in the general classification.
In Switzerland, Tour de France champion Chris Froome continued his comeback from illness and injury by climbing two places in the Tour of Romandie, a title he also won last year.
Team Sky’s Froome finished 10th on stage two to climb to eighth overall, 19 seconds behind Swiss Orica GreenEdge rider Michael Albasini, who completed consecutive stage wins.
Froome – racing for the first time since March’s Tour of Catalonia, where he finished sixth, due to a chest infection – is tipped to flourish in today’s third 180km stage, which takes the race into his favoured mountainous terrain.