MONTAUBAN, France (AP) – British sprinter Mark Cavendish used all his tactical experience and an impressive burst of speed to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France in a mass finish on Thursday.
It was Cavendish’s third stage win of the Tour and his 29th overall.
Cavendish beat German sprinter Marcel Kittel by half a wheel, with Daniel McLay third.
Kittel launched the sprint but Cavendish, who was without his lead-out man Bernhard Eisel in the final sprint, attached himself patiently to Kittel’s wheel before overtaking him in the final 200 meters.
“We were a little too far back, Bernie and I, going into that,” Cavendish said. “It was just carnage in the final with guys coming left and right. I wanted Kittel’s wheel. I was fighting and fighting for Kittel’s wheel.”