Bradley Wiggins wins Tour of California 2014

Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) was dropped on the day’s decisive climb but made his way back into the peloton just in time to win the bunch sprint during Sunday's final stage at the Tour of California. He jumped with several hundred meters to go and won the gallop to the line ahead of John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale).

Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins took the overall win ahead of Garmin-Sharp’s Rohan Dennis and Giant-Shimano's Lawson Craddock.

Cavendish said he almost didn't take the start for the final stage, considering the lumpy profile and how he had been climbing, and he was surprised to be able to come back to win the stage. It nearly didn't work out for him after a puncture on the base of the Rock Store climb earlier in the race.

"I punctured at the bottom of the climb and had to ride the whole climb on my own, chasing," Cavendish said. "I chased all the way and caught back on the descent. I figured if I could do that I'm going OK, I'll try to hang on the last lap. I did that, my team waited with me, we floored the descent and gained a lot of time back on the descent. My team were incredible pulling back the group. They had some goods today."

Cavendish hit the front of the fast, wide-open sprint and powered away in the last 50 meters, but he was nearly surprised at the line by Degenkolb, who was coming up fast on his right.

"Finally I was lucky to win," Cavendish said. "I celebrated a bit early, John [Degenkolb] nearly came by. I don't want to see the photo finish."

Wiggins, who wore yellow since the stage 2 individual time trial, lavished his team with credit.

"I've said it every day, without those guys I wouldn't be here right now," Wiggins said. "As strong as my performance was individually in the time trial, the team have took the strain all week. Those young Americans on our team did a fantastic job - Joe [Dombrowski], [Ian] Boswell, Danny [Pate]. Even today they didn't give up the chase, they came back still after the climb. It was a fantastic way to finish."

The 2012 Tour de France champion rated his victory in California as a satisfying one.

"It's always an honor to wear the yellow jersey," he said. "But I set my stool out to win the Tour of California, and I wanted to add my name to the guys have come before, and I've done that now. At 34 it's nice to still be winning."

A late-race breakaway included Jack Bobridge (Belkin), who was part of an original all-day move, along with new recruits Lucas Euser (UnitedHealthcare), Eloy Teruel (Jamis-Hagens Berman) and Jens Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge), who jumped across to Bobridge before the start of the short finishing circuits. The breakaway held a 20 second gap on the last of three circuits, but they were reabsorbed into the field with 5km to go.

Cavendish also popped out of the group on the final climb, but he joined leadout man Mark Renshaw along with BMC riders Thor Hushovd and Taylor Phinney in a successful chase back to the front.

Team Sky led the peloton around the final circuit, keeping the speeds fast to protect the race leader. Cannondale followed close behind with its sprinter, Sagan, who was eager to win another stage after getting his first victory of the tour the day before in Pasadena.

"We wanted to come on the front without the other sprinters," said Sagan, whose team had done yeoman's work at the front throughout the stage. But in the finale all of the favorite fast men were there. Giant-Shimano, BMC Racing and Orica-GreenEdge also joined in the leadouts on the way to the finish line, but it was Cavendish and Omega Pharma that collected the final stage prize.

"I just wanted to follow Peter and jump when he hit out," Cavendish said of the finale. "So I tried to follow him, and then Giant came so I got in there and squeezed Degenkolb out as we came through the last corner. Peter launched, and I knew with 200 to go I still had the speed after a week of racing, so I just went."

Sagan earned enough sprint points throughout the week to win his fifth consecutive green jersey in California. He said the points win, combined with his stage victory, made the week a success.

"I have five now," he said of the green points jersey. "And that's good."

Optum Pro Cycling's Will Routely won the final mountains classification, while Craddock won the jersey for best young rider. Garmin-Sharp won the prize for best team.

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