The HTC-Highroad lead out train was vital in the tight corners of the final three kilometres in the centre of Ravenna and Cavendish avoided the crash by being at the front of the high-speed peloton. In the final kilometre Mark Renshaw give Cavendish a perfect lead out and then he finished it off perfectly.
Cavendish spoke in Italian and then in English at the finish before heading to the podium to celebrate his second stage victory at this year's Giro.
Later in the stage winner's press conference, Cavendish talked about how he needs a few days in a grand tours to find his form and how he will celebrate his birthday. He also responded to Mario Cipollini, who had recently called him fat in his daily column in Gazzetta dello Sport.
Cavendish will head to his base in Tuscany but then travel to Britain on Friday to celebrate his 26th birthday on Saturday. In early June he head to France to study the first four stages of the Tour de France, before riding the Tour de Suisse.
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