BRIT Mark Cavendish today claimed a the 18th Tour de France stage win of his career and seized the points classification leader’s green jersey.
On the 44th anniversary of English cycling legend Tom Simpson’s death and in torrential rain, Cavendish won the 167.5-kilometre 11th stage from Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur to move to seventh on the all-time list of Tour stage winners.
It was his third success of the 2011 Tour and the 45 points which accompanied the victory saw the Manxman take a 16-point lead in the race for the maillot vert.
Andre Greipel, who won his first Tour stage yesterday ahead of former team-mate and rival Cavendish, was second, with Tyler Farrar third.
The 26-year-old Briton, who has reportedly agreed a move to Team Sky in 2012, now has 251 points in the race for the green jersey, with Rojas second on 235, Gilbert third on 231 and Greipel fourth on 164.
However, opportunities will be limited in the coming days as the Tour heads for the Pyrenees.
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