British speed specialist grabs 21st Tour stage win

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laurent rebours / the associated press Mark Cavendish celebrates on the podium. (CP)

TOURNAI, Belgium -- In Tour de France sprints, Mark Cavendish is in a class of his own.

The British speed specialist showed what he can do Monday without any assistance from his Sky teammates, flying past German rival Andre Greipel in the last few metres to lead a tight sprint and win Stage 2 in Belgium.

It was the 21st Tour stage victory for a man with ambitions of gold at the London Olympics.

A rising sports star at home, he has been consigned to a backseat role because his new team is focusing on Bradley Wiggins' hopes of becoming the first Briton to win the Tour. Cavendish has been all but left to fend for himself in the sprints.

"It was always going to be difficult to win stages -- if anything it made me kind of more relaxed," Cavendish said. "In the past, I've always had a dedicated team to sprint with... so there was always that pressure to win."

The top standings didn't change after bunched finish in the 207.5-kilometre course from Vise to Tournai -- the race's last day in Belgium before heading to France.

Wiggins, a three-time Olympic champion, is second -- seven seconds behind leader Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, who retained the yellow jersey for a third day after seizing it in Saturday's opening prologue.

Defending champion Cadel Evans is eighth, 17 seconds behind Cancellara. The Australian has been overshadowed this season by Wiggins winning three multi-stage races.

Victoria's Ryder Hesjedal finished 49th in the stage and remained 10th overall, 18 seconds behind Cancellara.

In past years, Cavendish was the star of his teams and enjoyed the support of one or several lead-out riders to help him conserve energy for a burst of speed at the finish line.

Not anymore.

In public, at least, Cavendish seems to be adjusting to the team-player role. "I always said I wanted to make history," said the 27-year-old native of the Isle of Man. "That means winning a lot of sprints, but there's not many better ways to make history than be part of a team that wins the Tour de France with a British rider."

Cavendish's main support rider with Sky has been Bernard Eisel of Austria, with Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway -- a rising star who last year won two Tour stages -- in a backup role.

Cavendish is not a likely contender for the Tour title because he struggles in the mountains and fares less well than complete riders like Evans and Wiggins in the time trials, which have taken on a greater importance in this year's 99th edition of cycling's showcase race.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 3, 2012 C6