STAGE 3

Team Columbia-Highroad's Mark Cavendish has repeated his personal track record of 2008 by taking the victory in stage two of the Three Days of De Panne in Belgium,  and then following it up with another win in the first section of stage three on Thursday.  Cavendish took exactly the same stages of De Panne last year, also in bunch sprints.  This year on stage three, Cavendish outpowered veteran sprinter Robbie McEwen of Australia to win by just over half a wheel in the host town of De Panne.

“It’s the same as in 2008, so it’s mission accomplished,” Cavendish said afterward.  “Robbie’s got great form, it was a hard sprint, but the team set me up perfectly.”  The British rider added that his back-to-back wins at De Panne have given him exactly the build-up he needed for the Ghent-Wevelgem Classic next Wednesday, his next big target.  “Winning here means I’m feeling really confident for that race.  I’ve got a score to settle with Ghent-Wevelgem after 2008 when it didn’t work out.”

“Yesterday [Wednesday] we rode over the Kemmelberg [a key climb of Ghent-Wevelgem] during the stage and I tested myself to see how well I could do.  It went well.  I closed down a gap on the climb, so I know my condition’s good.”

Cavendish confirmed that he will not be taking part in the Tour of Flanders, the team’s next race in Europe.  “I’m not really ready for it, although I really want to do it.  Flanders is an event you dream about racing when you’re young, so in a few years time, I’ll be there for sure.”