It was a bitter-sweet victory for Mark Cavendish in Bourg-les-Valence yesterday. he got his third stage victory of this year's Tour in a toughly contested sprint. This brings his overall tally to 13 stage victories. However, Mark Renshaw, Cavendish's excellent and vital lead-out man, was disqualified and thrown out of the race because he tried several times to head butt Julian Dean (Garmin) in the charge to the finish. Dean had moved across and doubtless Renshaw was concerned that this move might block Mark Cavendish's way to get clear. Once Cavendish had departed for home, Renshaw then moved left, which blocked American Tyler Farrar (Garmin). Quite why Tyler was to the left and not behind Dean, his lead out man is not clear. Perhaps it was his famous reflective glasses over-reacting so he couldn't see where he was going. Dean received no punishment – had he kept to his line none of the tussling would have happened.
Anyway 13 stage victories is a tremendous achievement but Mark may find it difficult to add to that tally this year as Renshaw is such a vital cog in the Columbia sprint team. There remain two clear sprint finishes – Bordeaux and the final stage on the Champs d'Elysée, Paris. Tomorrow's stage from Mende to Revel might also end in a sprint. Renshaw also helps Cavendish through the mountains and there is the Pyrenées still to come.
Mark's victory moves him up in the Green Jersey competition, where Alessando Petacchi, who was second yesterday, has taken over from Thor Hushovd, who finished in seventh place and hasn't been at the top of his sprinting this year. Despite all the injuries and hard times he has suffered this Tour Robbie McEwen got third place.
Mark's victory moves him up in the Green Jersey competition, where Alessando Petacchi, who was second yesterday, has taken over from Thor Hushovd, who finished in seventh place and hasn't been at the top of his sprinting this year. Despite all the injuries and hard times he has suffered this Tour Robbie McEwen got third place.
Top five in the Green Jersey Competition
1. PETACCHI Alessandro LAMPRE - FARNESE 161 pts
2. HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO TEST TEAM 157 pts
3. MC EWEN Robbie KATUSHA TEAM 138 pts
4. CAVENDISH Mark TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 132 pts
5. ROJAS Jose Joaquin CAISSE D’EPARGNE 122 pts
2. HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO TEST TEAM 157 pts
3. MC EWEN Robbie KATUSHA TEAM 138 pts
4. CAVENDISH Mark TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 132 pts
5. ROJAS Jose Joaquin CAISSE D’EPARGNE 122 pts
It is possible that Thor will try to get into a breakaway at the start of today's lumpy stage to Mende to pick up some intermediate sprint points.
