ISSOUDUN, France, (Reuters) – Mark Cavendish won his  third stage on the 2009 Tour de France  yesterday, a 194.5-kms  trek ridden at a leisurely pace in an implicit protest by the  riders at a radio-ban by organisers.

It was the seventh stage won on the Tour by the Briton, who  is now one victory short of the British record held by Barry  Hoban since 1975. Perfectly led by Columbia team-mate Mark Renshaw in the  final stretch, Cavendish was too strong for green jersey holder  Thor Hushovd of Norway, who came home second on the 10th stage  in front of American Tyler Farrar.

“I was afraid I may have attacked from too far, but Renshaw  helped me out. He was great today,” Cavendish said.

The peloton, who rode at a relatively slow average speed of  40.7 kph, caught a four-man breakaway in the last two  kilometres.   Italy’s Rinaldo Nocentini retained the overall leader’s  yellow jersey.

After several meetings on the rest day in Limoges, teams had  reluctantly accepted to start the stage without earpieces or  equipment allowing riders to communicate with their team cars.