A torrential downpour could not stop Briton Mark Cavendish from clinching a powerful bunch sprint win in the Tour de France on Saturday, with Team Columbia team-mate Gerald Ciolek in second.

For the 23-year-old Cavendish, his Toulouse stage win was his second victory in five days racing on the Tour, his ninth of the season and the 20th on the road in just 18 months as a professional.

"Just like a few days ago, I came from a long way back again at the finish, but I had the strength to take it all the way to the line which is what mattered.” Cavendish said afterwards.

"I was three places behind Gerald at one point but then I was able to get past the three of me before Gerald made his final acceleration which got me ahead. And then I gave it 100 percent.”

"The finish was perfect for us, taking first and second. It was all really beautiful.”
Adding to Columbia’s satisfaction, Cavendish and Ciolek’s team-mates Kim Kirchen and Thomas Lovkvist are still leading overall and in the Best Young Rider’s competition.

"The way we worked so hard together in the last few kilometres shows exactly why we are so successful as a team.” Kirchen said.

Talking about his experience of what it feels like to wear the yellow jersey, he added “it’s something every rider dreams of. I’ve had to wait ten years to do this, but I can assure you it’s been worth the wait!”

Asked if he plans to go for the green jersey, Cavendish says that he still lacks the consistency to do so.

My objective here is winning stages in the first week, but for the green jersey you need a lot of endurance and I’m still young.”

As for going all the way to Paris, Cavendish was adamant that he is “going to try. I have no intention of stopping. It wouldn’t be fair on my team-mates, my sponsor or the organisers. I’ll give it 100 percent.”