Cavendish takes his third Giro win and prepares to head home

Mark Cavendish Giro 2009 stage 13

Giro d'Italia 2009 stage 13 photo gallery, by Graham Watson>>

Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) took the win he wanted in Florence today, leaving his Giro d'Italia rivals floundering in his wake.

After some close finishes and two wins earlier in the race for Alessandro Petacchi (LPR Brakes), Cavendish has reinforced himself as king of the sprints with his third and most decisive win of this year's Giro on stage 13.

Cavendish had focused on this stage as the finish is near the British Cycling base in Quarrata, and several of his friends had come out to watch, along with his partner. But the 13th stage looked like being an unlucky one when Cavendish hit the deck after just 20km with BBox Bouygues Telecom rider Yohann Gene.

Thankfully Cavendish wasn't injured and soon rejoined the bunch that was no doubt still feeling the affects of yesterday's brutal mountain time trial. In the end, despite the best efforts of his rivals, he made it look easy.

Both Petacchi and American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) used different tactics today, but still they can't beat the Manxman.

Petacchi did nothing but sit on Cavendish's wheel until the final 200 metres. The tall Italian came off Cavendish's wheel but made almost no impression on his lead, just about drawing level with the Brit's rear wheel as they crossed the line.

Farrar decided to take another route in his quest for his first Giro stage win. The American put his Garmin team mates on the front for the last five kilometres but the Argyle Army still don't have the wherewithal to close out a sprint.

The bunch was lined out perfectly by first Bradley Wiggins and then David Millar, but then the Garmin riders seemed to disappear. Julian Dean took up the sprint as Farrar was distracted from his sprint as he became embroiled in a shoulder barging feud with Cav's lead-out man Mark Renshaw.

Cavendish sat calmly behind the duelling pair, waiting for his moment. Farrar lost the battle and dropped back as soon as Renshaw started his sprint. As soon as Cavendish jumped round his team mate the result was a foregone conclusion.

Today's stage is expected to be Cavendish's last of the race. With more mountains to come Cavendish is likely to head home, rest and turn his attention to winning the green jersey in the Tour de France.

Swift still fighting on

Ben Swift (Katusha) shows little sign of slowing down in his first grand tour as the 21-year-old took eighth place in today's stage. The Yorkshireman had been on Petacchi's wheel with two kilometres to go but got swamped in the run in to the line.

His chance may still come, but he'll have to battle through a few more mountain stages first.

The next three stages each have at least four classified climbs on the route while stage 17 is uphill all the way to the top of the Blockhaus climb.

Stages 18 and 21 looks like being the only two remaining for the sprinters, but that's only if the teams are willing to close down any break-aways.

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

RESULTS
Stage 13: Lido di Camaiore-Firenze, 176km
1. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-Highroad in 3-48-36

2. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy) LPR-Brakes

3. Allan Davis (Australia) Quickstep

4. Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld

5. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream

6. Juan Jose Haedo (Argentina) Saxo Bank

7. Robert Forster (Germany) Milram

8. Ben Swift (GB) Katusha

9. Davide Vigano (Italy) Fuji-Servetto

10. Mark Renshaw (Australia) Columbia-Highroad all at same time.

Other

27. Denis Menchov (Russia) Rabobank at 8sec

32. Ian Stannard (GB) ISD at 8sec

78. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervelo at 8sec

84. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervelo at 8sec

106. Chris Froome (GB) Barloworld at 8sec

134. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 34sec

165. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-15

166. Charly Wegelius (GB) Silence-Lotto at 1-31

Overall classification after stage 13
1. Denis Menchov (Russia) Rabobank in 54-16-01

2. Danilo Di Luca (Italy) LPR Brakes at 34sec

3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana at 40sec

4. Franco Pellizotti (Italy) Liquigas at 2-00

5. Carlos Sastre (Spain) Cervelo at 2-52

6. Michael Rogers (Australia) Columbia-Highroad at 2-59

7. Ivan Basso (Italy) Liquigas at 3-00

8. Gilberto Simoni (Italy) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni at 4-38

9. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy) Lampre at 5-26

10. Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden) Columbia-Highroad at 5-53

Other

29. Chris Froome (GB) Barloworld at 14-05

33. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 19-25

Giro d'Italia 2009

New race leader Denis Menchov in pink

Giro d'Italia 2009

Lucky number 13: Cavendish takes his third 2009 Giro win

Giro d'Italia 2009

Congratulations from Max Sciandri at the finish

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Find the pink jersey competition

Find the jerseys throughout the Giro and you could 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.

Friday, May 22. Clue number 11:

You'll find today's jersey in an article that lists every British Olympic medal winner, cyclists of course...

Today's jersey is on www.cyclingweekly.com

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

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Giro d'Italia 2009 links

Stage reports

Stage 12: Menchov storms to Giro TT win and race lead

Stage 11: Cavendish romps to second Giro stage win

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 13 photo gallery

Stage 12 photo gallery

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

Menchov's first pink jersey (Stage 12)

Wiggins: 'I went too hard at the start' (Stage 12 TT)

Lance and Levi: Ready for Giro time trial

Cavendish: 'Today brought back memories of San Remo' (stage 11)

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

Follow Cycling Weekly on Twitter>>

image

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1