Cycling: Cavendish hat-trick

Manxman once again too quick for sprint rivals

Last updated: 17th July 2008

Mark Cavendish Tour de France stage 12 Jul 08

Cavendish: third stage win

It was really fast all day.

Mark Cavendish
Quotes of the week

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Britain's Mark Cavendish won stage 12 of the Tour de France, a 168.5-kilometre ride from Lavelanet to Narbonne.

The victory represents the 23-year-old Team Columbia rider's third stage win of this year's Tour - a record for a British rider.

His achievement surpasses that of another sprinter, Barry Hoban, who won two stages in both 1969 and 1973.

Cavendish, born on the Isle-of-Man, had do without the help of a team-mate in the mass finish in Narbonne, peeling left to overhaul the Milram team with comparative ease.

"This was the hardest of all three sprints," said Cavendish. "It was really fast all day."

"I'm glad I could do that for my team-mates especially for how hard they've worked in the last few days."

France's Sebastien Chavanel (Francaise des Jeux) took second place with Belgian Geert Steegmans (Quick-Step) rounding out the top three.

Australian Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) finished safely in the main peloton alongside all his major rivals to retain the overall leader's yellow jersey.

Thursday's stage started without the Saunier-Duval team, who pulled out of the race after it was revealed that Italian Riccardo Ricco had tested positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO.

Stage 12 result:
1. Mark Cavendish (Britain/Columbia) 3hrs 40mins 52secs"
2. Sebastien Chavanel (France/Francaise des Jeux) Same time
3. Gert Steegmans (Belgium/Quick-Step)
4. Erik Zabel (Germany/Milram)
5. Oscar Freire (Spain/Rabobank)
6. Francesco Chicchi (Italy/Liquigas)
7. Thor Hushovd (Norway/Credit Agricole)
8. Leonardo Duque (Colombia/Cofidis)
9. Julian Dean (New Zealand/Garmin-Chipotle)
10. Heinrich Haussler (Germany/Gerolsteiner)

Overall standings:
1. Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) 50hrs 23mins 05secs"
2. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) +1"
3. Christian Vandevelde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +38"
4. Bernhard Kohl (Austria/Gerolsteiner) +46"
5. Denis Menchov (Russia/Rabobank) +57"
6. Carlos Sastre (Spain/Team CSC) +1:28"
7. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Columbia) +1:56"
8. Vladimir Efimkine (Russia/AG2R) +2:32"
9. Mikel Astarloza (Spain/Euskaltel) +3:51"
10. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Liquigas) +4:18"