Here’s Jeremy Whittle’s stage report:
Ultimately a very exciting finish … but also very disappointing for anyone hoping that Mark Cavendish would make history today with his 35th Tour de France stage win. He came very, very close but an issue with his gears meant he lost crucial speed when he was at the front, and closing in a repeat of his Bordeaux victory in 2010. Thanks for reading, emailing, tweeting etc. … and see you soon for more.
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Mark Cavendish speaks to Matt Stephens on Eurosport about the final sprint: “I was in quite a good position. It looked like I was far back, but I was OK, in where I wanted to be. It’s a long, straight finish. [Teammate] Cees [Bol] had moved me up with good speed into the last kilometre. I was on the right wheels.
“I kicked a little earlier than I’d like, but actually, still about the same time as I did in 2010. … Once I kicked, I started, the gears jumped from the 11 to the 12, I had to sit down. Cadence just whacks up. Then it goes back to the 11th, I tried to stand up. I needed to sit down. There was nothing you could do except, like, kind of hope.
“I’m bitterly disappointed there. Really majorly disappointed. But we keep on trying … we can be positive.”
What’s the difference between racing now and in 2008? “Most of the people racing then are maybe granddads now [Laughs] … What can I do? I’m sorry I can’t be a bit more positive about it. I’m bitterly disappointed.”
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