Mark Cavendish wins his first Le Tour Stage Win (Stage 5)

[Driven1]

the world's fastest sprint cyclist in the 200 m finally got a thrilling stage win today...

British rider Mark Cavendish won the fifth stage of the Tour de France, a 232-kilometre ride from Cholet to Chateauroux, this afternoon.

The 23-year-old, riding for Team Colombia, hailed "the biggest thing that has happened to me" after beating Spaniard Oscar Freire of the Rabobank team and German Erik Zabel of the Milram team in a mass sprint. Germany's Stefan Schumacher retained the overall leader's yellow jersey for the Gerolsteiner team.

Three Frenchmen â€" Lilian Jegou, Nicolas Vogondy and Florent Brard â€" hit the front after 11 km and at one point had a lead of more than eight minutes. However, the field never seemed concerned, and riders worked together to catch the breakaway almost on the finish line.

"It's the biggest thing that's happened to me," Cavendish said of his victory. "To win a stage of the Tour is a massive thing. I came here with the intention of winning one. It just means so, so much to me."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jul/09/tourdefrance.stagefive?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

[Driven1]

btw...that was Great Britain's first Le Tour stage win in 5 years!

also, yesterday's surprise time-trial winner (Schumacher of Germany) was fast enough today to hold onto the Yellow Jersey for another day.