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.
