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

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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 sponsored rider Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) revealed that the crash he had two days ago was a lot worse than anyone expected.  Evans, the current World Champion, sustained a fractured elbow as a result of the crash he had on the first mountain stage two days ago.

Evans, who started the stage today in the yellow jersey, was badly affected by his crash early in stage 7. “I’m not at my normal level, but when you’re in yellow at the Tour de France, you’ve got to be there,” he said. “The team was just fantastic but I’m the one who had the crash two days ago. I’m the one that is wearing the jersey and I’m the one that is vulnerable. I’m not my normal self if I get dropped by a group like that. Normally today was a chance for the stage win and it wouldn’t have an effect on the GC. Now I’m pretty sure it’s all over for this year. This year there’s been two health problems: the Giro and now here things aren’t at my normal level. I put in a lot of work and I suffer on my bike everyday and I do it with pleasure. For the guys who have supported me and been so good, the team and Andy Rihs, the owner of the team and everyone who has believed in this project, I’m just so sorry to let them all down.”

Ochowicz acknowledged that the team decided not to reveal the problem before the stage today.  ”We decided as a team not to tell anybody about it and try and fake it through the race and get to the finish. We didn’t want to let our competitors know and have them attacking him during the race on the early climbs.  We controlled the race today, knowing that we had a problem with Cadel’s injury but we weren’t sure what the outcome was going to be. You saw the outcome, he doesn’t have full mobility in his elbow and so had difficulty staying with the group, even when we were doing tempo. At the end, the injury just overwhelmed him.”