Cavendish romps to second Giro stage win

Mark Cavendish Giro 2009 stage 11

Giro d'Italia 2009 stage 11 photo gallery, by Graham Watson>>

Mark Cavendish gave himself an early birthday present when he won his second stage of the Giro d?Italia in Arenzano.

The Isle of Man sprinter turns 24 tomorrow, and although he may not enjoy the hilly 61-kilometre time trial too much, he at least has cause to celebrate tonight.

On roads that will have been familiar to him following his victory in Milan-San Remo in March, Cavendish cruised off the wheel of his Columbia-Highroad team-mate in the final 200 metres to beat Garmin?s Tyler Farrar.

It was Columbia?s fifth stage win of this race, following victory in the team time trial and early wins for Cavendish in Milan on Sunday and before that Edvald Boasson Hagen and Kanstantsin Siutsou.

And it was Cavendish?s 38th win as a professional in less than three seasons ? which puts his tally just three behind the British record held by Chris Boardman.

Cycling Weekly's list of all-time British pro winners

After the difficult stage yesterday, and with tomorrow?s time trial looming, it was a low-key day in the Giro, with many of the favourites taking it as easy as possible.

There was not much action early in the day. A group of four ? Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Xacobeo), Cameron Meyer (Garmin), Dmytro Grabobskyy (ISD) and Alessandro Donati (Acqua & Sapone) ? got away after 65 kilometres, but their lead didn?t last long.

Marco Manzano of Lampre broke clear in the last 40 kilometres and had a lead of about a minute or so, but he was caught too as the riders tackled the Turchino climb, best known as one of the early battlegrounds in the Milan-San Remo classic.

From there it was downhill all the way to the finish in Arenzano, with Lance Armstrong leading the way down the descent.

As they reached the bottom of the hill, Armstrong?s team-mate, Yaroslav Popovych attacked, with the Lampre rider Enrico Gasparotto bridging across rapidly.

They were caught, but Gasparotto had another go inside the final three kilometres.

Columbia and Garmin had things under control as they came into the final kilometre and the sprint finish was as close to routine as these things get. Cavendish, who has ditched the bright, white Oakleys in favour of a more subdued pair in black, was all smiles as he clinched the ninth Grand Tour stage win of his career.

The overall picture was unchanged, with Danilo Di Luca remaining in pink ahead of Denis Menchov, although that could change in the time trial tomorrow.

Levi Leipheimer lost his Astana team-mate Chris Horner, who was unable to start the stage having crashed yesterday.

RESULTS
Stage 11: Torino - Arenzano, 214km
1. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-Highroad in 4-51-17

2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream

3. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy) LPR Brakes

4. Allan Davis (Australia) Quick Step

5. Sebastien Hinault (France) Ag2r

6. Davide Vigano (Italy) Fuji-Servetto

7. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) Columbia-Highroad

8. Alexander Serov (Russia) Katusha

9. Oscar Gatto (Italy) ISD

10. Robert Forster (RSA) Milram all same time.

Other

11. Ben Swift (GB) Katusha at same time

52. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervelo at same time

84. Christopher Froome (GB) Barloworld at same time

102. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at same time

106. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 2-58

164. Charly Wegelius (GB) Silence-Lotto at 7-56

169. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervelo at same time

170. Ian Stannard (GB) ISD at same time

Overall classification after stage 11
1. Danilo Di Luca (Italy) LPR Brakes in 48-51-28

2. Denis Menchov (Russia) Rabobank at 1-20

3. Michael Rogers (Australia) Columbia-Highroad at 1-33

4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana at 1-40

5. Franco Pellizotti (Italy) Liquigas at 1-53

6. Carlos Sastre (Spain) Cervelo at 1-54

7. Ivan Basso (Italy) Liquigas at 2-03

8. Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden) Columbia-Highroad at 2-12

9. David Arroyo (Spain) Caisse d'Epargne at 2-35

10. Gilberto Simoni (Italy) Fuji-Servetto at 2-58

Other

29. Chris Froome (GB) Barloworld at 9-49

38. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 17-39

76. Charly Wegelius (GB) Silence-Lotto at 51-24

106. Ben Swift (GB) Katusha at 1-19-51

119. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-26-43

129. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervelo at 1-35-00

142. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-Highroad at 1-47-39

166. Ian Stannard (GB) ISD at 1-55-43

179. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervelo at 2-05-40

Giro d'Italia 2009

Britain's David Millar takes a drink

Giro d'Italia 2009

Levi Leipheimer suffered a spill during the stage

Giro d'Italia 2009

Danilo Di Luca and Lance Armstrong on the final descent

Giro d'Italia 2009

Mark Cavendish takes his second stage win of the 2009 Giro, equalling his tally in last year's event

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Find the pink jersey competition

Find the jerseys throughout the Giro and you would win a £400 Parker International voucher.

Giro d'Italia 2009

18 pink jerseys will be hidden around the Cycling Weekly and Parker International websites over the course of the three week race - all you have to do is decipher the clues at the end of the stage reports to find them.

Wednesday, May 20. Clue number nine:

Find today's jersey in the article: Cavendish was so good at last year's Giro d'Italia that he was giving stages away to team-mates

Today's jersey is on www.cyclingweekly.com

Full details of CW's find the pink jersey competition>>

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Giro d'Italia 2009 links

Stage reports

Stage 10: Di Luca lays down the gauntlet

Giro rest day review (May 18)

Stage nine: Cavendish blitzes rivals to win in Milan

Stage eight: Siutsou makes it two in a row for Columbia-Highroad

Stage seven: Boasson Hagen takes treacherous stage

Stage six: Scarponi wins longest stage with big break

Stage five: Menchov wins mountain battle as Di Luca grabs the pink jersey

Stage four: Di Luca denies Soler on the line; Lovkvist takes pink jersey

Stage three: Cavendish loses pink jersey after being caught behind late crash

Stage two: Petacchi denies Cavendish the stage win

Stage one: Cavendish in pink as Columbia prove their point to Garmin

Photo galleries

Stage 11 photo gallery

Stage 10 photo gallery

Stage nine photo gallery

Stage eight photo gallery

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Desktop wallpaper photos

News

Is Di Luca trying too hard, too soon?

Wiggins loses time in the Giro (stage 10)

Armstrong and Basso say sorry for Giro protest

How are the Giro favourites doing?

Cavendish says 'I'm addicted to winning'

Riders stage go-slow protest during Giro stage in Milan

Cavendish cool before Milan sprint

No sympathy for Armstrong from Giro boss

Boasson Hagen celebrates his birthday early

Cavendish overjoyed for Boasson Hagen

Armstrong 'livid' at dangerous Giro stage

Astana riders wear faded kit in protest over unpaid wages

Armstrong sees Leipheimer in pink

Giro news round-up: 14 May

Wiggins: 'I can't keep smashing away on the climbs'

Wiggins eyes top 20 finish overall

Armstrong after Giro stage 5: 'That was hard'

Cavendish looking for Giro revenge

Armstrong happy with stage four performance

Lovkvist will fight to keep Giro lead

Giro could be last race for Armstrong's team

Vande Velde crashes out of Giro

Petacchi claims he didn't know of Cavendish crash

Cavendish struggles to find consolation in pink jersey

Petacchi: I've been working out how to beat Cav

I'm wearing pink on behalf of the team, says Cavendish

Wiggins ready to win Giro team time trial

Friday, May 8: Giro news round-up

Cavendish out to topple Garmin in Giro team time trial

Team time trial start times

Cycling Weekly's Giro d'Italia top ten prediction

Brits in Venice for Giro presentation

Armstrong overshadows overall favourites at Giro presentation

Armstrong confident of finding new sponsor for Astana

Armstrong working to save Astana team

Wiggins in top form for Giro

Garmin Slipstream kitted out for Giro opener

Dan Lloyd gets late Giro call-up

Armstrong's special Giro bikes unveiled

Daniel Lloyd overlooked for Giro ride

Cummings and Thomas not selected for Giro d'Italia

Cavendish tests Giro form at Tour of Romandie

David Millar confirms he's riding in 2009 Giro

Bennati to take on Cavendish in Giro 2009 sprints

2009 Giro d'Italia to start in Venice

Evans and Silence-Lotto disagree on Giro 2009 ride

Armstrong to ride 2009 Giro

Tuttosport reveals 2009 Giro d'Italia route

Dolce & Gabbana design new Giro jersey

2009 Giro d'Italia guide and features

Find the pink jersey competition

Giro d'Italia 2009: The Big Preview

British riders to have led the grand tours

CW's Giro top ten prediction

Brits in the Giro 2009

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

CW Classic: the 1987 Giro d'Italia

2008 Giro d'Italia archive

Giro d'Italia 2008 coverage index - race reports, photos, results

From rule Britannia to cruel Britannia

Giro 2008: The final word on this year's race

Brits at the 2008 Giro: photo special

Five days to go, what's in store?

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 27)

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 19)

Giro d'Italia 2008 preview

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