Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) outsprints Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and points leader Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) for the stage victory.
(Image credit: AFP)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) wins stage five of the Tour de France.
(Image credit: AFP)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) won more comfortably than he may have realised.
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) on the podium
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) is victorious in stage 7
(Image credit: AFP)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) celebrates in front of Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD).
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish and Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad) have built up a wonderful understanding over the past three seasons.
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) was full of praise for Tony Martin after the stage.
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) wins
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Tony Martin escorts Mark Cavendish to the finish.
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The sprint goes to Greipel, who edged past Cavendish to snatch the stage win
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish and Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad)
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) celebrates his third stage victory of the 2011 Tour.
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Stage 11 winner Mark Cavendish takes over the green jersey from Philippe Gilbert.
(Image credit: Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) had a bad day and narrowly made the time cut.
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Bernhard Eisel and Danny Pate usher Cavendish to the line within the time limit.
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) takes his fourth Tour stage of the year in Montpellier
(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) in green again
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) comes to the 2011 Tour de France as one of the most successful sprinters in Tour history. With 15 wins under his belt, the Manxman still has one major goal to fulfill at the Tour - to take home the green jersey. He missed out narrowly last year, and was close in 2009, but has made it a major goal for this year's race.
It was however a nightmare start for the HTC-Highroad man. With the expectations of a nation and the worldwide media tipping him to take home top honours in stage three he failed to fire. Questions were asked, and many pundits commented that he didn't appear to have the same legs as years gone by.
In a matter of days that image has changed. Two wins in three days proved the Manx-missile can have a bad day - though they don't come all that often. The hardest battle for Cavendish may well be getting through the second week, particularly the racing through the Alps. If he can however there's no reason to think that he can't take home his maiden maillot vert in Paris.
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