After the race Cavendish said his joy wasn’t for getting himself another win.
“It’s finishing off the job the guys did every time,” the Manxman told Versus. “Yesterday they rode incredible and I didn’t win. I can’t complain—André Greipel rode and incredible sprint—but I don’t like it when the guys do it for me and I don’t finish it.
“Last night they said, ‘How will it go tomorrow?’ I said, “I’ll win. Just do your job and I’ll win,’ because I couldn’t live with myself after last night.
“Now I am really, really happy because the guys rode all day, even Peter Velits and Tony [Martin], they are both top ten in GC, they rode incredibly. Renshaw, in a stressful situation, just kept his cool, went, delivered me to 250 [meters from the end.]
“There was no hesitating today—I kicked I accelerated right at 250. That’s where I am most dangerous that’s what I did today. I am happy with the win.”
Long Chase Weakens the Leadout Trains
The race started in and ended in the rain, with a 15 mph wind blowing across the course to add to the riders’ discomfort. A six-rider break escaped 13 km from the start, and nearly survived, staying away until 2.2 km from the finish.
HTC-Highroad had to use a lot of its leadout riders chasing the break, none of the other teams were much interested in helping Mark Cavendish win another stage.
Coming into the final kilometer, Garmin-Cervelo set up on the left side of the road with David Millar and Julian Dean leading Tyler Farrar, while Sky took the middle with Thomas Geraint leading Edvald Boasson Hagen. HTC squeezed in on the left with Tony Martin and Mark Renshaw leading Cavendish.
Once Martin peeled of, Renshaw and Cavendish squeezed between Thomas and Boasson Hagen, breaking up their train. Renshaw swung left and led Cavendish toward the line.
