Mark Cavendish Wins The Tour De France Stage Six

Last updated : 07 July 2016 By CNS Sport

Mark Cavendish took his third win in the 103rd edition of the Tour De France with victory on stage six.

The race was visiting the start town of Arpajon-sur-Cère for the first time and the finish town of Montauban for the second time (Jacky Durrand won last time) and it was new leader Greg Van Avermaet with his stunning performance on stage five, which put him 5.11 clear of Julian Alaphillipe, who led out the riders on this 190.5km stage.

 After three kilometres, Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) and Yukiya Arashiro (Lampre-Merida) went away and taking a lead of 4.20 and covering 40.5kms in the first hour of racing.

Barta took the two points on the col des Estaques as the duo's lead went out to 5.22.as Arashiro took the point on the Côte d'Aubin before Barta took the sprint at Montbazens and the twenty points on offer.

With 78 kms left, the gap stood at 1.54 and was at 1.48 with sixty kilometres left and 1.25 with 49kms left.

On a day where temperatures were around thirty one degrees, Jan Barta took the two points and Yukiya Arashiro one on the côte de Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val with 41.5kms to go.

The gap had dropped to 54 seconds but went up to a minute and eight seconds before dropping again and with 23kms left, the duo were caught.

This was a technical finish on the Avenue du 10th Regiement de Dragons at the end of a 380m finishing straight and it was Cofidis who was on the front with Andre Greipel and Dan McLay just behind them.

Under the flam rouge and Lotto Soudal had a rider on the front along side Trek.

Kittel went but up came Mark Cavendish on his right to win in 4.43.48 with Dan McLay, riding superbly to finish in third place, followed by Kristoff, Laporte, Sagan, Gronewegen, Theuns, Coquard and Archibold.

"That was terrifying and like the old days," said Cavendish. "I was a little too far back It was carnage.

"I wanted Kittel's wheel and I knew it was the right thing to go early.

"I really wanted it and I would like to dedicate this to my little niece Darcy who was born yesterday."

Greg Van Avermaet stays in yellow.