Former world champion Mark Cavendish won his second stage of the 2016 Tour de France and the 28th of his career when he got the better of the other sprinters in the third stage to Angers today.
The Brit, who races for Dimension Data, beat Germany’s Andre Greipel and Frenchman Bryan Coquard in the 223.5km stage from Granville to equal the career tally of France’s former five-time winner Bernard Hinault.
The Manxman and Hinault are second in the overall stage win standings behind Belgian Eddy Merckx, also a five-time Tour winner.
“I wanted to be behind Greipel,” said Cavendish.
“When I went past I thought it would be easy, but then he went again. It took me by surprise actually.
“I’m so happy to have got that. The guys were phenomenal, Bernie (Eisel) did 20km in the wind there and Mark (Renshaw) in the last kilometre.”
Tinkoff’s Slovakian world champion Peter Sagan finished third to retain the overall lead, eight seconds ahead of France’s Tour debutant Julian Alaphilipe. Spain’s Alejandro Valverde is third, a further two second back.
Stage three results
1. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) 5:59:54
2. André Greipel (Lotto Soudal)
3. Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie)
4. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team)
5. Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo)
6. Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling)
7. Marcel Kittel (Etixx – Quick-Step)
8. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis, Solutions Credits)
9. Daniel Mclay (Fortuneo – Vital Concept)
10. Dylan Groenewegen (Team LottoNl-Jumbo)
Selected
55. Louis Meintjes (Lampre – Merida)
156. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data)
165. Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange)
General classification
1. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team) 14:34:36
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx – Quick-Step) 0:00:08
3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) 0:00:10
4. Christopher Froome (Team Sky) 0:00:14
5. Warren Barguil (Team Giant-Alpecin)
6. Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team)
7. Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff Team)
8. Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal)
9. Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team)
10. Daniel Martin (Etixx – Quick-Step)
Selected
32. Louis Meintjes (Lampre – Merida)
98. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data) 3’10”
104. Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) 4’23”
Points classification
1. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) 123 points
2. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team) 116
3. André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) 79
King of the Mountains
1. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) 4 points
2. Paul Voss (Bora-Argon) 2
3. Armindo Fonseca (Fortuneo – Vital Concept) 1
Go to Tour de France for more news, results and information.
