Mark Cavendish won six stages of the Tour this year, but he’s still hungry for victories, as he proved by winning the Sparkasse one-day classic on Sunday.
Cavendish’s latest victory came in the twelfth editiion of the 177 kilometre, category 1.1 race held in west Germany. Second was former Columbia-HTC team-mate Gerald Ciolek of Milram and third another German rider, Andreas Stauff (Kuota). Tour stage winner Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo) finished fourth.
The Columbia-HTC pro’s latest victory took place on a tough urban circuit in heavy rain just a week after he scooped his sixth Tour stage of 2009 on the Champs Elysées.
"It's an impressive result for Mark," said Columbia-HTC manager Rolf Aldag.
"He had a tough Tour de France and he's been winning all season, but the victories just keep coming. And this was not an easy race at all. It was held on a tough little circuit, with two short but hard climbs and then a fast descent to the finish, and on top of that it was raining most of the day.
"A break of five guys got away but in the last lap and a half we managed to bring things back together for Cavendish. He seems to be totally unbeatable in the sprints right now."
Cavendish has now taken 20 wins this season. He will now go on to race two or three more critieriums before taking part in the Tour of Ireland.
Other Britons taking part in the Sparkasse race included Matt Brammier (An Post-Sean Kelly) and Daniel Lloyd (Cervelo).
Results
Sparkassen Giro 2009, 180km
1. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC in 4-16-30
2. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Milram
3. Andreas Stauff (Ger) FC Rheinland-Pfalz-Saar Mainz
4. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo
5. Robert Wagner (Ger) Skil-Shimano
6. Eric Baumann (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
7. Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Skil-Shimano
8. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen-Bauknecht
9. Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil-Shimano
10. Pieter Van Speybroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen all same time.
2009: Cavendish's wins so far...
Mark Cavendish has so far notched up 20 professional wins this year, here's how they look:
Tour de France; stage two
Tour de France; stage three
Tour de France; stage 10
Tour de France, stage 11
Tour de France; stage 19
Tour de France; stage 21
Sparkasse Giro
Giro d'Italia; stage one (TTT)
Giro d'Italia; stage nine
Giro d'Italia; stage 11
Giro d'Italia; stage 13
Tour of Switzerland; stage three
Tour of Switzerland; stage six
Tour of Romandie; stage three (TTT)
Tirreno-Adriatico; stage seven
Three Days of De Panne; stage two
Three Days of De Panne; stage three (a)
Three Days of De Panne; points classification
Tour of California; stage five
Tour of California; stage four
Tour of California; sprint classification
Tour of Qatar; stage four
Tour of Qatar; stage six
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