CAVENDISH RETAINS YELLOW JERSEY

The in-form rider in world cycling, Britain's Mark Cavendish, wrote another page in an historic debut season in Southampton yesterday with a comprehensive victory in the 139km stage one of the Tour of Britain. Following his stunning win on the opening Prologue time trial stage in Crystal Palace Sunday, the 22-year old T-Mobile sprinter again showed why he is considered the brightest prospect in world cycling by leaving the pack for dead with 100m to go to retain the overall yellow jersey and take the points jersey as well. Cavendish's win means he now has a 14 second overall lead in the race, going into today's difficult stage in Somerset.

Cavendish's T-Mobile Team gave him the perfect platform for the win by delivering him to the front of the peleton with 500m to go. From there it seemed to be an impossibility that anyone would be able to cope with his famous finishing speed. Earlier in the day a two-man breakaway had opened upa lead of three and a half minutes, and it looked like the chasing pack may have left it too late as the gap still stood at 50 seconds with only five miles to go. But with T-Mobile powering the peleton forward, the breakaway was finally reeled in 4km from the end, setting up the sprint finish perfectly. When team mates Roger Hammond and Frantisek Rabon delivered Cavendish perfectly to the front of the pack, there was little doubt who would take the win.

Talking after the race Cavendish said:

"Today I have to give all the credit to the Team. Franti [Rabon] and Roger [Hammond] delivered me perfectly to the finish - it was so good that even a non-sprinter could have won from the position they put me in. Tomorrow will be a tough stage and I'm actually quite scared about it. If I'm not able to hold on to the yellow jersey there are several others in the Team who are also looking good, not least Franti."