Mark Cavendish struck back today in Montargis after taking a beating in the Tour de France's previous two stages.
"You know, we had some bad luck in the first few days in the Tour. Yesterday, we finally had good luck, but I didn't finish off the work and I was a bit disappointed," said Cavendish. "It's a great relief, a great sense of achievement."
His achievement adds to his six stage wins last year and four from 2008, and gives promise of more to come. His HTC-Columbia team, however, has had to struggle to get its train in order after losing George Hincapie to BMC over the off season and seeing Adam Hansen abandon due to a crash in stage two to Brussels.
HTC-Columbia had to adjust its train at this Tour de France, putting some men to work earlier and allowing some rival teams to join in the train. Tyler Farrar's Garmin-Transitions team took over today in the final three kilometres and nearly pulled off the win. HTC, though, re-took control.
"They did an incredible job and it could have been easy for them to lose faith, but they didn't," continued Cavendish. "They rode again today. [Kanstantsin] Siutsou rode there for what seemed like 300K; Michael Rogers, Tony Martin got GC ambitions and they are riding full gas; Bert Grabsch and Maxime Monfort are going to have to be on the front for the mountains, but they gave it all today; and Bernie Eisel and Mark Renshaw were incredible at the finish, they kept me out of trouble and from being knocked around by other teams.
"I am really happy I could finish it off for them."
Cavendish appeared emotional yesterday after his loss, letting his bike lose before the bus, and today, his emotions were high again, this time thanks to a win. His eyes watered up as he talked, showing how much this Tour de France win meant to him.
"People were tugging and eventually pulled me down," he added. "My team stayed around me. This sport's my life, you know, I love it. I train, race because I love it."
He will be able to show his love for the sport again tomorrow and three other possible sprint stages in this Tour de France. Tomorrow's stage takes the riders 227.5 kilometres to Gueugnon, with the final 20 kilometres featuring a category four climb that he will be able to conquer.
Tour de France 2010: Latest news
Thomas happy with Tour's white jersey; but says 'All for Brad'
Cavendish keeps up fight for first Tour win
Sky delivers Boasson Hagen to third without pressure
Thomas in tour's white jersey; Wiggins gains time
Evans and Schleck gain in Tour's hell of the north
The Feed Zone: Tour news and views (July 6)
Vande Velde abandons Tour following crash
Andy Schleck has a laugh after stage two crash
The Feed Zone: News and views (July 5)
Sky banks on Thomas ahead of cobbled stage
Cavendish's sprint train weakened with Hansen out
Armstrong under fire as Landis allegations reach mainstream
Team Sky's decision to put Wiggins off early back fires
Tour de France 2010: Stage reports
Stage five: Cavendish wins his first stage of Tour
Stage four: Petacchi wins into Reims
Stage three: Hushovd takes dramatic win; Thomas second on stage and GC
Stage three live coverage: As it happened
Stage two: Comeback man Chavanel takes victory in Spa
Stage one: Petacchi wins in Brussels as bunch left in tatters
Prologue: Cancellara pips Martin to win
Tour de France 2010: Photos
Stage three photo gallery
Stage two photo gallery
Stage one gallery
Prologue photo gallery
Tour de France 2010: Videos
Stage four video highlights
Stage three video highlights
Stage two video highlights
Stage one video highlights
Prologue video highlights
Tour de France 2010: Race guide
Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
Official start list, with race numbers
Brits at the Tour 2010
Tout team guide
Tour jerseys: What they are and what they mean
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins
Tour de France 2010: Pictures
Tour team presentation, Rotterdam
Tour teams take to the cobbles: Photo special
Liège-Bastogne-Liège match-up: Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel finally meet again
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