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Cavendish wins Le Tour Stage 3 in Photo Finish

Tom Dodd
Cycling

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By Thomas Dodd

  • British Sprinter Mark Cavendish wins second stage in three days in photo finish
  • Manxman’s victory is 28th in career- placing him tied second with Bernard Hinault
  • Chris Froome and other contenders safely in main pack as Peter Sagan maintains overall lead.

ANGERS, FRANCE – Mark Cavendish won his second stage of the 2016 Tour de France on Monday, and made a little big of history in the process.

The Manxman’s victory on Stage 3 from Granville to Angers was the 28th of his career- tying him with the legendary Frenchmen and five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault.

In his narrowest win to date, Cavendish ousted Germany’s André Greipel in the final few metres – a result only confirmed afterwards by a race director’s photo finish.

Wearing the green jersey through default – as overall leader Peter Sagan was obliged to wear the race’s iconic yellow jersey – Cavendish’s final lunge for the line proved ultimately decisive, despite Greipel raising his arm in celebration of an apparent success.

The Dimension Data sprinter now sits tied second on the all-time list of stage victors, with only imperious Belgian Eddy Merckx out in front with 34.

Following the previous day’s uphill conclusion, the third route of the race kept riders on the flat from start to finish, but didn’t stop the obligatory attacks to try and escape the peloton.

Serial breaker Thomas Voeckler was joined by Fortuneo’s Armindo Fonseca, but the ambitious pair were swept up with three kilometres to go as the pack wound up for the predicted bunch sprint.

Sagan retained the overall lead after the Tinkoff rider came home in fourth place, but Cavendish’s win was enough to take him to the head of the green jersey points race outright.

Tuesday’s fourth stage will be the longest the riders will face all tour, a wapping 237.5km from Saumur to Limoges, with one categorized climb 40km from the finish.

Stage 3 result: Granville to Angers (223.5km)

  1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) Dimension Data 5h59m54s
  2. Andre Greipel (GER) Lotto-Soudal +04 seconds
  3. Bryan Coquard (FRA) Direct Energie +06
  4. Peter Sagan (SVK) Tinkoff +10
  5. Edward Theuns (BEL) Trek-Segafredo +10
  6. Sondre Holst Enger (NOR) IAM Cycling +10
  7. Marcel Kittel (GER) Etixx-QuickStep +10
  8. Christophe Laporte (FRA) Cofidis +10
  9. Daniel McLay (GBR) Fortuneo +10
  10. Dylan Groenewegen (HOL) Lotto Jumbo NL +10

Brits

22. Chris Froome, Sky +10
34. Adam Yates, Orica +10
41. Geraint Thomas, Sky +10
141. Luke Rowe, Sky +41
157. Ian Stannard, Sky +52
191. Stephen Cummings, Dimension Data +2m07

Overall Standings (After Stage 3):

  1. Peter Sagan (SVK) Tinkoff 14h34m36seconds
  2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Etixx-QuickStep +08 seconds
  3. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar +10
  4. Chris Froome (GBR) Sky +14
  5. Warren Barguil (FRA) Giant-Alpecin +14
  6. Nairo Quintana (COL) Movistar+14
  7. Roman Kreuziger (CZE) Tinkoff +14
  8. Tony Gallopin (FRA) Lotto Soudal +14
  9. Fabio Aru (ITA) Astana +14
  10. Daniel Martin (IRE) Etixx-QuickStep +14

Brits

18. Adam Yates, Orica +14seconds
45. Geraint Thomas, Sky +45
70. Mark Cavendish, Sky +1m39
131. Daniel McLay, Fortuneo +7m05
171. Luke Rowe, Sky +9m00
177. Ian Stannard, Sky +9m21
185. Stephen Cummings, Dimension Data +10m36