Cavendish wins Tour de France second stage

TOURNAI, Belgium (AFP) –

Britain’s Mark Cavendish (centre), next to Australia’s Matthew Harley Goss (right), celebrates on the finish line at the end of the second stage of the Tour de France starting in Vise and finishing in Tournai, Belgium, July 2. Cavendish won the stage on Monday, with Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara retaining the overall race leader’s yellow jersey.

British sprint king Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the Tour de France here on Monday, with Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara retaining the overall race leader’s yellow jersey.

Team Sky’s Cavendish beat home German Andre Greipel on the line in a mass sprint at the end of the 207km ride between Vise and Tournai.

The reigning road-race world champion trailed Greipel at the start of the first mass sprint finish in this year’s tour, but he edged home by half a wheel at the finish line.

Australia’s Matt Goss took third place ahead of Tom Veelers of the Netherlands and Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi.

Team Sky chief Dave Brailsford said: “Psychologically that was a big stage for all the sprint teams.

“He (Cavendish) has proved there why he is the number one in the world and why he has been the number one for a long time.”