First Endurance rider Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) became the first ever rider in history to win for two years running on the Champs-Elysées as he racked up his fifth stage victory in the 2010 Tour de France. Already the winner of stages five, six, 11 and 18 this year, Cavendish’s victory in the Tour’s final stage is the fifteenth of his career in cycling’s top event, and his 59th road win since turning pro in 2007.

“My Tour didn’t start too well and in the first week I was wondering how it would turn out,” Cavendish said. “But the team rode incredibly strongly for me and I tried to make amends. As the race progressed my feelings got better and better and winning here in Paris on the most spectacular finish of them all is a great way to end the race. When you win you get confident, when you’re confident you win. It’s as simple as that.”

“[HTC-Columbia teammate] Bernie Eisel took me to the tunnel and then Tony Martin dropped me off where I needed to be to go for the win. It’s been a real rollercoaster event, but the people here in France always make it special and I want to thank all of them, the team and support staff and all the other people who have helped me all the way.”

Cavendish dedicated Sunday’s win to Tyler Blick, son of Steve Blick of Oakley.

The win in Paris concluded team HTC-Columbia’s successful 2010 Tour de France which included Tony Martin wearing the Young Rider’s jersey in three stages, taking second place in the Prologue and the Individual Time Trial, and Bert Grabsch finishing third in the ITT.

FIRST ENDURANCE/HTC-COLUMBIA PARTNERSHIP

HTC-Columbia is fueled with the entire First Endurance product line and works closely with First Endurance on new product development. Feedback and input from the riders and staff at HTC-Columbia help the First Endurance research and development team continue to safely push the limits of endurance performance by offering the best endurance nutrition available.

CAVENDISH ON FIRST ENDURANCE:

“First Endurance provides the HTC-Columbia team with a complete line of clinically effective endurance nutrition that helps us compete at the highest level day after day.” – Mark Cavendish

First Endurance sponsored rider Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) won stage 18 in the Tour de France and now has 4 stage wins in the race bringing his career total of victories in cycling’s flagship event to 14.  Already victorious on stages five, six and 11 of the 2010 Tour, Cavendish’s latest win came on stage 18’s 19- kilometre run from Sales-de-Bearn to Bordeaux.  The HTC-Columbia rider sprinted across the finish line more than a bike length ahead of second-placed Julian Dean, and third-placed Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi, to seize the seventh win of his 2010 season and 58th road victory of his professional career.

“When Petacchi accelerated with 275 metres to go, he surprised me,” Cavendish said later.  “But I got past him okay and I was pretty happy about that.  It was easier than I expected.  I didn’t know how big the gap was between me and the next guy was, though, because all I see is the finish line.  In any case, it doesn’t matter how much or how little you win by, it’s winning that matters.”

Cavendish explained that he looked back at the peloton as he reached the line in order to keep his sprint effort to a minimum.  “I wanted to conserve as much energy as possible. Tomorrow [the Tour's last time trial] will be hard; 50 kilometres by myself.”

Asked about his chances in  the green jersey competition, in which he is currently third, Cavendish said that at this point his aim is to take a final stage victory in Paris for a second year in the row.  “I’ve got to try to win on the Champs-Elysées, whatever the situation is, and that’s all I can do.”

Brief Results

1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC – Columbia 4:37:09
2 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin – Transitions
3 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini

FIRST ENDURANCE/HTC-COLUMBIA PARTNERSHIP

HTC-Columbia is fueled with the entire First Endurance product line and works closely with First Endurance on new product development. Feedback and input from the riders and staff at HTC-Columbia help the First Endurance research and development team continue to safely push the limits of endurance performance by offering the best endurance nutrition available.

CAVENDISH ON FIRST ENDURANCE:

“First Endurance provides the HTC-Columbia team with a complete line of clinically effective endurance nutrition that helps us compete at the highest level day after day.” – Mark Cavendish

Check back later for a full report

First Endurance sponsored rider Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) racked up his third stage win today at the Tour de France. This is Mark’s thirteenth Tour de France stage victory, which sets a new record for most stage wins by a single rider at the Tour.   “We’re really happy with the win, the team did a great job” said Cavendish.  ”There are still two, possibly three sprint days left. We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully we can get some more wins and see what happens.”

1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC – Columbia 4:42:29
2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin – Transitions

FIRST ENDURANCE/HTC-COLUMBIA PARTNERSHIP

HTC-Columbia is fueled with the entire First Endurance product line and works closely with First Endurance on new product development. Feedback and input from the riders and staff at HTC-Columbia help the First Endurance research and development team continue to safely push the limits of endurance performance by offering the best endurance nutrition available.

CAVENDISH ON FIRST ENDURANCE:

“First Endurance provides the HTC-Columbia team with a complete line of clinically effective endurance nutrition that helps us compete at the highest level day after day.” – Mark Cavendish

First Endurance sprinting phenomenon Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) notched his second consecutive win today at the Tour de France.  The HTC-Columbia team executed  to perfection again by bringing back the breakaway in time for their lead-out specialist, Mark Renshaw, to drop Cav off with nothing in front of him besides the finish.  Once that happened, it was a foregone conclusion.  Cavendish now has twelve stage wins at the Tour de France in only three years.

FIRST ENDURANCE/HTC-COLUMBIA PARTNERSHIP

HTC-Columbia is fueled with the entire First Endurance product line and works closely with First Endurance on new product development. Feedback and input from the riders and staff at HTC-Columbia help the First Endurance research and development team continue to safely push the limits of endurance performance by offering the best endurance nutrition available.

“MultiV helps me be at my best when it’s all on the line”. – Mark Cavendish

“First Endurance allows me to get the most out of my training and racing”- Tony Martin

“First Endurance uses our input and feedback to give us superior endurance nutrition that meets the unique requirements of professional cyclists.” Mick Rogers (winner 2010 Tour of California)

First Endurance sponsored rider Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) won stage 5 of the Tour de France today.

“It means everything to win,” Cavendish said. “It’s incredibly emotional. All the pressure and emotion built up but it’s finally over.  It was hard this year. I always said everything was about the Tour de France. Things didn’t go our way yesterday. I let them down massively and it would have been easy for them to say ‘He hasn’t got it’ like other people did. But they rode for me. Siutsou rode covered in bandages and Rogers was there at the finish and took it on, too. Renshaw did an incredible job, fighting with Thor, with Tyler Farrar and with Oscar Freire. I knew he’d drop me off at the right place.”

STAGE 5 RESULTS
# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC – Columbia 4:30:50
2 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team

FIRST ENDURANCE/HTC-COLUMBIA PARTNERSHIP

HTC-Columbia is fueled with the entire First Endurance product line and works closely with First Endurance on new product development. Feedback and input from the riders and staff at HTC-Columbia help the First Endurance research and development team continue to safely push the limits of endurance performance by offering the best endurance nutrition available.

CAVENDISH ON FIRST ENDURANCE:

“First Endurance provides the HTC-Columbia team with a complete line of clinically effective endurance nutrition that helps us compete at the highest level day after day.” – Mark Cavendish