The Team Colombia rider beat Robert Förster and Heinrich Haussler to win the 121km stage in Doha City and dedicated the victory to the memory of Frederick Nolf, the Belgian rider who died yesterday.
Cavendish won the stage in a time of 2.36.18 but Tom Boonen finished tenth and took overall victory. With Haussler finishing third, Cavendish was pipped in the Young Riders competition
Speaking to Highroadsports.com, Cavendish said: "Everybody knew that we were going for the sprint because we'd taken control of the race well before the last few kilometres. "With a kilometre to go, suddenly all of the teams swamped together at the front, but my team-mates helped me go clear and get in the right position for the sprint. If I hadn't had some bad luck in the first few days then I might have been fighting for the general classification."
Roger Hammond finished the stage in 18th place with Daniel Lloyd 19th, Bradley Wiggins 85th, Jeremy Hunt 88th and Ben Swift 112th.
In the final General Classification
Roger Hammond was third, Daniel Lloyd was fourth, Mark Cavendish ninth, Jeremy Hunt 16th, Bradley Wiggins 88th and Ben Swift 105th.
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