Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) continued his storming start to the 2016 Tour de France with a second stage victory on stage 3, where he got the better of André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) by a hair’s breadth.
It was the German who raised his arm as he crossed the line but both riders faced a nervy wait while the commissaires reviewed the photo finish, and it was the Manxman who was able to indulge in jubilant – if delayed – celebration. It marks his 28th stage win at the Tour de France, drawing him level with Bernard Hinault and one closer to the 34 of record holder Eddy Merckx.
Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) was third on the slightly uphill drag to the line in Angers but the final 100 metres represented a two-way tussle between old foes Cavendish and Greipel – the ferocious and tense contest in stark contrast to what was largely a yawn of a 223.5km journey from Granville to Angers.
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It was the German who opened the sprint, his lead-out man Jurgen Roelandts having led round the right-hand bend into the final 300m, but Cavendish came roaring back. After spending a couple of seconds in the slipstream, the green jersey wearer launched his bid to come round but it was a protracted affair as Greipel found a second wind, and the overhaul was only completed at the last gasp and by the slimmest of margins.
“I thought I had it but you never know,” Cavendish said. “I kind of knew I’d got it but you have to wait.
“We planned this stage, and I knew I’d have to come from behind. That’s why when Mark [Renshaw] went I wanted to be behind Greipel. Last year after I didn’t win the first sprint I was nervous and maybe went too soon in the following stages and I thought that might be the same for Greipel here.”
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