Stage winner Cavendish sprints into history books
BRITAIN’S Mark Cavendish toasted his team’s courage after retaining the green jersey with his second successive Tour de France stage victory.
The Team Columbia rider’s success made him the first Briton to hold the jersey – awarded to the leading sprinter – for consecutive days.
Cavendish finished strongest in a 27-man breakaway on the Tour’s third stage, from Marseille to La Grande-Motte, in which most riders appeared to conserve energy for today’s team time trials.
“Everybody’s nervous about the team time trial tomorrow I think so we were the only team who were willing to take it on. What a way to stick it to them,” said the 24-year-old. “The small group was caused by my team riding 100 per cent.”
Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara finished in the same time as Cavendish to hold onto the overall lead. Columbia’s Tony Martin is 33 seconds adrift, ahead of seven-time winner Lance Armstrong (+40 secsonds). Favourite Alberto Contador is fourth (+59 seconds), just ahead of Briton Bradley Wiggins (+1 minute).