Contador wins 2010 Tour de France as Cavendish takes final stage
Tour de France 2010, stage 20 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>
Mark Cavendish wrapped up the 2010 Tour de France with his fifth stage win of the race, claiming the twenty-first stage on the Champs Elysees.
This time, Cavendish did it without the help of leadout man Mark Renshaw, again using his guile and speed to piggyback onto a Cervelo effort and accelerate away to victory.
Alberto Contador crossed the line mid-bunch to make sure of his third Tour de France win - his most hard-fought to date.
After an abortive RadioShack bid to wear custom jerseys with the race number 28 - denoting the number of cancer sufferers in the world in millions - on the last day of the Tour, the bunch set off slowly from Longjumeau.
The traditional demob-happy bunch antics were on display. Riders posed for photographers, the Astana team supped champagne and Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck enjoyed a good-natured faux sprint before shaking hands.
The speed shot up as the bunch entered central Paris and the famous city-centre circuit.
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An eleven-strong group escaped soon after the first of nine passings of the Champs Elysees, consisting of Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia), Christian Knees (Team Milram), Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Danilo Hondo (Lampre), Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Alexander Kuschynski (Liquigas), Karsten Kroon (BMC Racing Team), Remi Pauriol (Cofidis), Aitor Perez (Footon-Servetto) and Francaise des Jeux pair Anthony Roux and Sandy Casar.
Though never enjoying more than 25 seconds advantage, the escapees took the intermediate sprint points on offer, further strengthening Alessandro Petacchi's position in the green jersey.
With a doomed survival bid, Knees, Kroon and Sorensen held off the chase of the bunch, led by Sky and HTC, for longest.
The finale saw several leadout trains clashing for control of the bunch. First, Team Sky had a four-man effort on the front, before Cervelo took over through the final corner, slipping Thor Hushovd into the best position for the final straight.
However, Mark Cavendish was well-placed behind, and the Briton used Hushovd as a slingshot, firing down the right side of the road with 200 metres to claim his fifth stage of this year's Tour - in very different circumstances to his win twelve months ago, which saw him ably guided into the final corner by Mark Renshaw.
Indeed, it was very different circumstances to the Tour's first road stage to Brussels, when he crashed on a corner in the closing kilometres. Since his emotional win in Montargis just over a fortnight ago, Cavendish has hardly put a foot wrong.
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) followed the Briton across the line to secure the green points jersey, as Cavendish fell just 11 points short in his late push.
Flanked by Astana teammates as he finished mid-pack, Alberto Contador added to his overall Tour victories in 2007 and 2009, having been thoroughly tested by second-placed Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), who finished just 39 seconds behind. It was the fourth-closest Tour win in the race's history.
Contador won the Tour without a single stage victory; in contrast, Schleck won two. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) completed the final podium in third overall.
RESULTS
Tour de France 2010, stage 20: Longjumeau to Paris Champs-Élysées, 102.5km
1. Mark Cavendish (GB) HTC-Columbia in 2-42-21
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
3. Julian Dean (NZ) Garmin-Transitions
4. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
5. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
6. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Milram
7. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo
8. Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank
9. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Katusha
10. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo all same time
Other
81. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
Final overall classification
1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana in 91-58-48
2. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank at 39 seconds
3. Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank at 2-01
4. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 3-40
5. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma at 6-54
6. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank at 9-31
7. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions at 10-15
8. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 11-37
9. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas at 11-54
10. Chris Horner (USA) RadioShack at 12-02
Other
15. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 16-59
23. Lance Armstrong (USA) RadioShack at 39-20
24. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky at 39-24
26. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team at 50-27
67. Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky at 2-00-05
151. Steve Cummings (GB) Team Sky at 3-45-47
154. Mark Cavendish (GB) HTC-Columbia at 3-51-23
158. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Transitions at 3-56-46
163. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervelo at 4-02-21
164. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervelo at 4-02-59
Points classification: Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre
Mountains classification: Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
Young rider: Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank
Team: RadioShack
Please play below to watch video highlights of stage 20
Alberto Contador sits safely in the bunch on the Champs Elysees
Mark Cavendish takes his fifth stage of the 2010 Tour
Final podium (l-r): Andy Schleck (second), Alberto Contador (winner), Denis Menchov (third
Tour de France 2010: Latest news
Wiggins and Thomas round off Tour with top ten in time trial
Schleck pushes Contador to the limit in Tour time trial
Tour de France stage 19: Photo special
Feed Zone: Tour de France news and views (July 24)
Cavendish climbs list of all-time Tour stage winners
Could a fifth stage win in Paris be enough to give Cavendish green?
Contador makes small steps towards third Tour de France win
Sastre: "Cycling is turning into a sport for spoilt brats
Schleck behind after Tourmalet duel but refuses to give up
Hesjedal leaps up classification with Tour's Tourmalet ride
Sky pushes ahead regardless of Wiggins placing
Armstrong has his last go in the Tour
Tour's points leader Petacchi investigated for doping
Contador issues video apology to Schleck
Millar searches horizon for Eiffel Tower
Schleck-Contador friendship turns sour after chain problem
Wiggins at 2010 Tour: "I haven't got it"
Tour de France 2010: Stage reports
Stage 19 ITT: Contador lines up 2010 Tour win in final time trial
Stage 18: Cavendish wins fourth stage of Tour in Bordeaux
Stage 17: Schleck wins on the Tourmalet but cannot shake off Contador
Rest day review (July 21)
Stage 16: Fedrigo takes tough Pyrenean stage
Stage 15: Victorious Voeckler continues fine Franch Tour as Contador takes yellow jersey
Stage 14: Riblon hangs on in Pyrenees to give France fourth stage win
Stage 13: Vino returns to top of Tour after doping ban
Stage 12: Rodriguez wins as Contador attacks
Stage 11: Cavendish bags third stage win but lead out man kicked out of Tour
Stage 10: Cavendish bags third stage win but his lead-out man is kicked out of race
Stage 10: Paulinho claims narrow stage victory on Bastille day
Stage nine: Casar wins stage as Schleck and Contador go head-to-head
Stage seven: Chavanel wins stage and takes overall as Thomas drops out of Tour's white
Stage six: Cavendish makes it two as Tour hots up
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 19 photo gallery
Stage 18 photo gallery
Stage 17 photo gallery
Stage 16 photo gallery
Stage 15 photo gallery
Stage 14 photo gallery
Stage 13 photo gallery
Stage 12 photo gallery
Stage 11 photo gallery
Stage 10 photo gallery
Stage nine photo gallery
Stage eight photo gallery
Tour 2010 wallpaper
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 gallery
Prologue photo gallery
Tour de France 2010: Videos
Stage 19 ITT video highlights
Stage 18 video highlights
Stage 17 video highlights
Stage 16 video highlights
Stage 15 video highlights
Stage 14 video highlights
Stage 13 video highlights
Stage 12 video highlights
Stage 11 video highlights
Stage 10 video highlights
Stage nine video highlights
Stage eight video highlights
Stage seven video highlights
Stage six video highlights
Stage five video highlights
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
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Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
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