On one of the few stages made for the sprinters in this years race, Britain’s Mark Cavendish showed he’s coming back to his best with victory on stage 10 of the Tour of Italy. With his experienced team giving him the perfect leadout, the sprinters foiled a late attack by David Millar who was swamped only a kilometre or so from the finish.
On his team’s website, Mark says “Winning in Italy is massively important for me. It’s where I took my first ever Grand Tour stage win and I was disappointed not to win in Parma, because this is one of my favorite races, really close to my heart.”
“I suffered badly in the mountain stages, but I wanted to get through in order to keep winning here. We haven’t got our most experienced sprint team here, but it is still the same as its always been in terms of heart and commitment. They all gave it one hundred percent and I couldn’t ask more from them.”
We controlled the break perfectly and when we came into the finish they were all there. I got on Petacchi’s wheel, he started accelerating with 250 meters to go, I went with 150 meters to go and then I came past him for the win.”
The victory was Cavendish’s sixth stage win in the Tour of Italy over the years and remarkably for some one so young, his 65th professional win and third in 2011. Team Sky’s Davide Appollonio was 5th after his team got right behind him for the sprint.
Brief:
1 Mark Cavendish, HTC-Highroad 4:00:49
2 José Ventoso, Movistar Team
3 Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre – ISD
4 Roberto Ferrari, Androni Giocattoli
5 Davide Appollonio, Sky Procycling
6 Francesco Chicchi,) Quickstep Cycling Team
Spain’s Alberto Contador continues to lead the race overall and will wear the Pink jersey for stage 11.
