Mark Cavendish wins Tour de France 2009, stage 2

When Mark Cavendish raised his arms in victory and crossed the finish line ahead of his rivals on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday, he joined the elite list of prolific Tour de France winners.

Cavendish's career total of 10 Tour stage wins - six stage wins in 2009 coupled with four in the 2008 Tour - means that his name is included in an exclusive roll call of all-time cycling greats.

To really appreciate how far Cavendish has come in such a short amount of time you only have to see the names of riders who also won 10 stages in their career -  Henri Pelissier, Charly Gaul, Jan Raas and Walter Godefroot are all names etched into the Tour's long history. In two years, Cavendish has matched them.

Just two more Tour stage wins, to bring his total to 12, would mean Cavendish equals the likes of Miguel Indurain, Mario Cipollini, Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel.

In terms of total Tour stage wins, Cavendish still has a way to go to match that of Eddy Merckx, who won an astonishing 34 stages between 1969 and 1975 - of course, he also won the race five times along the way.

Cavendish also scores highly in terms of stage wins in one given Tour, only 13 riders have ever won six or more stages in one go - and only five riders have won more than six stages in one year. Freddy Maertens was the last rider to win eight stages, in 1976.

It's early days yet for Cavendish. He should have a long and successful career in front of him, giving him the opportunity to add his name to the very top of the Tour's roll of honour.

Record number of Tour de France wins (individual)

34 stage wins

Eddy Merckx (Belgium) 1969-1975

28 stage wins

Bernard Hinault (France) 1978-1986

25 stage wins

André Leducq (France) 1927-1938

22 stage wins

André Darrigade (France) 1953-1964

Lance Armstrong (USA) 1993-2005

20 stage wins

Nicolas Frantz (Luxembourg) 1924-1929

19 stage wins

François Faber (Luxembourg) 1908-1914

17 stage wins

Jean Alavoine (France) 1909-1923

16 stage wins

Charles Pelissier (France) 1929-1935

René Le Greves (France) 1933-1939

Jacques Anquetil (France) 1957-1964

15 stage wins

Freddy Maertens (Belgium) 1976-1981

13 stage wins

Philippe Thys (Belgium) 1913-1924

12 stage wins

Louis Trousselier (France) 1905-1910

Jean Aerts (Belgium) 1930-1935

Gino Bartali (Italy) 1937-1950

Miguel Indurain (Spain) 1989-1995

Mario Cipollini (Italy) 1993-1999

Erik Zabel (Germany) 1995-2002

Robbie McEwen (Australia) 1999-2007

11 stage wins

Louison Bobet (France) 1948-1955

Rafaele Di Paco (Italy) 1931-1935

10 stage wins

Henri Pelissier (France) 1913-1923

Antonin Magne (France) 1927-1938

Maurice Archambaud (France) 1933-1939

Charly Gaul (Luxembourg) 1955-1961

Walter Godefroot (Belgium) 1967-1975

Gerrie Knetemann (Netherlands) 1975-1982

Jan Raas (Netherlands) 1977-1984

Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) 2008-2009

Most stage wins in a single Tour

Eight stages

Freddy Maertens 1976

Eddy Merckx 1970 and 1974

Charles Pelissier 1930

Seven stages

Bernard Hinault 1979

Eddy Merckx 1969

Gino Bartali 1948

Six stages

Mark Cavendish 2009

Luis Ocana 1973

Eddy Merckx 1972

Rene Le Greves 1936

Andre Leducq 1932

Jean Aerts 1933

Marcel Buysse 1913

Francois Faber 1909

Emile Georget 1907

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS

Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.

STAGE REPORTS

Stage 21: Cavendish wins on Champs Elysees as Contador wins 2009 Tour

Stage 20: Contador's Tour lead safe; Wiggins retains fourth overall on Ventoux

Stage 19: Five star Cavendish wins Tour stage in to Aubenas

Stage 18: Contador tightens grip on the maillot jaune

Stage 17: Schleck brothers overhaul Wiggins as Frank wins the stage

Stage 16: Astarloza snatches Alps stage win as contenders wind up the pace

Stage 15: Contador wins in Verbier as Tour explodes into life

Stage 14: Ivanov wins as Nocentini clings onto yellow

Stage 13: Haussler braves rain for victory in Colmar

Stage 12: Sorensen wins in Vittel as Cavendish goes for green

Stage 11: Cavendish takes fourth win to equal Hoban's record

Stage 10: Cavendish spoils Bastille Day party to take third stage win

Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefire

stage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out

Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance

Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs

Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage

Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second

Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage

Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador

Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint

Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial

LATEST TOUR NEWS

Tour de France 2009 News Index>>

Armstrong admits he suffered in Tour's final time trial

Wiggins set for Ventoux showdown at the Tour

Radio Shack confirmed as Armstrong's new backer

Astana to split after Tour

Voigt crashes out of Tour

Armstrong fighting hard for Tour podium place

Wiggins gets closer to Tour podium place

Who's won what so far in the Tour de France

How the Tour favourite are doing (Rest day 2)

Wiggins climbs to third in Tour overall

Armstrong concedes he can't win the 2009 Tour

Tom Boonen quits the Tour de France

Stage 15 analysis: Is the Tour now over?

Columbia criticise Garmin for chasing Hincapie

Cavendish reveals he is going for green

EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS

Mont Ventoux preview

Garmin-Slipstream's HQ before the Tour

David Zabriskie's time trial bike

Mark Cavendish on the Tour's team time trial

David Brailsford interview

Mark Cavendish on the Tour

Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS

Stage20 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 19 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 18 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 16 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Team presentation by Andy Jones

Team presentation by Graham Watson

TOUR GUIDE

Tour de France 2009 - the hub

Tour de France 2009: Who's riding

Tour de France 2009: Team guide

About the Tour de France

FEATURES

Tour de France 2009: Who will win?

Tour de France 2009 on TV: Eurosport and ITV4 schedules

Big names missing from 2009 Tour de France

Tour de France anti-doping measures explained

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

Cycling Weekly's rider profiles

TWITTER

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