21 Days to Glory

ROUTE/ Travelling west from French-speaking Walloon country to the Dutch-speaking Flanders territory, this stage was as flat as a local crêpe. Breakaways would be common, with the peloton keeping a wary eye on the gap. Typically, the bunch expect to catch a break on flat terrain at a rate of one minute per 10km. In expectation of a sprint finish, huge crowds gathered in Flanders where bike racing is followed fanatically.

THE CHALLENGE/ With only one Category-4 climb – at the halfway point, a 2.1km ascent to Côte de la Citadelle de Namur, a castle on a limestone crag that overlooks the city – the day promised the first duel between the sprinters. Wiggins again was looking to stay in the bunch and emerge unscathed.

HOW IT UNFOLDED/ Anthony Roux broke from the pack after 22km with fellow Frenchman Christophe Kern and Michael Morkov of Denmark in pursuit. The trio spent much of the race out ahead alone, taking the top three placings at the intermediate sprint. Roux launched another solo attack, but Kern and Morkov let him go and eased back into the peloton, which then collectively gave chase and reeled in Roux with 15km remaining.

All eyes were on the sprinters: Mark Cavendish, André Greipel, Matt Goss and co. Two kilometres from the finish, the bunch upped the tempo and Cavendish unleashed an awesome, well-timed burst of speed to snatch victory from Greipel by half a wheel. It was his 21st Tour stage victory, moving him into sixth place on the all-time list, behind Lance Armstrong.

Wiggins finished comfortably in the bunch, as did Cancellara and Evans, leaving the GC standings unchanged.

‘With 5km to go, Bernie and Edvald were with me, but I told them I would take it from there,’ said Cavendish. ‘I saw the space and opportunities and did what I always do. Normally I win by a bike length, today I had to lunge. If it was just the sprinters involved at the finish it would be good to have two or three helpers, but all the GC riders were there as well, and when that happens it can be best to go on your own. Also, if you are asking Bernie and Edvald to move me up at that speed, 70km plus, that’s incredibly hard. I would have killed them by the end of the week!

‘People have got to understand that there is one objective in our team and that is for Brad to win the yellow jersey. If I can win some sprints along the way, that’s fine, but we are here to win yellow.’

‘I knew it would be difficult, dangerous and hectic here, but I came in without any pressure. It was just about being plucky about it. I knew the finish and knew there was a headwind, so I knew you could come from behind.’

Mark Cavendish