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Cavendish makes it a trio of wins

A supporter runs next to the peloton during the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia from Lido di Camaiore to Florence, Italy, on Friday. PHOTO: AP

Briton Mark Cavendish recovered from an early mishap to sprint away with the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday before being pulled out of the race, while Russia’s Denis Menchov kept the overall lead.

The Team Columbia rider made his move with about 300m to go, burning off LPR’s Alessandro Petacchi by a bike length to take a 3-2 lead in stage wins over his Italian sprint rival at this year’s race. Quickstep’s Australian Allan Davis was third.

Cavendish, who turned 24 on Thursday, had to change bikes shortly after the start of the stage because of a bump with French rider Yohann Gene.

“I did a good sprint. I was put in the best position again by my team,” Cavendish told Rai television.

“I didn’t need to go 100 percent. I went 80 to 90 percent at the finish and I was able to win,” added the sprinter, winner of stages nine and 11 and the team time trial that opened the race.

However, Cavendish, who won March’s Milan-San Remo Classic at his first attempt, was later taken out of the Giro. With some tough mountain stages coming up, his team said they wanted him to concentrate on preparing for July’s Tour de France.

“He has already raced 55 days this year and it is our view that the best thing for Mark is to take some recovery now before the Tour,” team manager Rolf Aldag told Columbia’s Web site.

The pack arrived compact at the end of a virtually flat 176km run from Lido di Camaiore to Florence earlier on Friday and there was no change at the top of the overall standings.

After seizing the pink jersey with an impressive time-trial win on Thursday, Menchov still has a 34 second lead over its former holder, LPR’s Danilo Di Luca of Italy.

Astana’s Levi Leipheimer of the US is six seconds further back in third.

Seven times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, Leipheimer’s compatriot and Astana teammate, is still 12th overall, 6 minutes, 34 seconds behind Menchov.

The world’s second biggest stage race, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, finishes in Rome next Sunday.
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