Alberto Contador has been crowned Tour de France champion for the second time in three years, as Mark Cavendish won his sixth stage of this year’s race with victory in the 21st and final stage, finishing in the center of Paris. Briton Cavendish again proved he has no equal in the bunch sprints by powering away from his rivals, after being giving a perfect lead-out by Columbia teammate Mark Renshaw, to add the ‘blue riband’ sprinters stage on the Champs-Elysees to his growing list of big race victories. Cavendish had always stated that winning on the Parisian avenue was his lifelong ambition, although his numerous victories did not prove enough for him to take the green points jersey, which was won by Norway’s Thor Hushovd — who finished sixth on the day — for the second time in his career.
