Britain’s Mark Cavendish claimed his first Tour de France stage victory after a thrilling sprint finish.
The 23-year-old beat Spaniard Oscar Freire and German Erik Zabel in a bunch sprint to become the first Briton since David Millar in 2002 to win a stage.
Stefan Schumacher retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey, while Millar remains in third, 12 seconds behind.
“It’s the biggest thing to have happened to me and to do it so young, it’s a massive thing,” said Cavendish.
“I came here with the intention of winning one (stage), I would have gone home disappointed if I hadn’t.”
Cavendish has been making his mark on the cycling world this year.
Earlier this year the Manxman won two stages of the Giro d’Italia and in August he heads out to Beijing as part of Team GB’s Olympic cycling squad.
The 23-year-old will partner Bradley Wiggins in the men’s madison and is being widely tipped to return home with a medal.
In fact, his Olympic commitments could mean that Cavendish does not complete this year’s Tour de France and he could pull out once the race enters the mountains.
Wednesday’s 232km stage from Cholet to Ch?teauroux was the longest in this year’s Tour and was led almost from start to finish by three breakaway riders.
The French trio of Lilian Jegou, Florent Brard and national champion Nicolas Vogondy opened up a gap of more than eight minutes, which was slowly whittled away by the chasing peloton.
Vogondy broke away from his compatriots in the final 1.5km, only to be overhauled by the sprinters around 30 metres from the line.
Cavendish held off late attacks from Thor Hushovd, Freire and Zabel, and pulled away from his rivals in the final metres to claim glory after almost five-and-a-half hours in the saddle.
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Britain's Mark Cavendish wins stage five of the Tour de France after a thrilling sprint finish.
He becomes only the seventh Briton to win a stage in Le Tour and the first since Millar took the stage into Beziers six years ago - Millar’s win in 2003 was removed from his record at his own request when he confessed to using EPO in 2004.
Millar was 50th over the line, finishing in the peloton to claim the same time as Cavendish.
Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, who wore the yellow jersey on Sunday and Monday, crashed twice and suffered an injured arm and knee but made it home in 103rd place.
He rides on into the Tour’s first montain stage on Thursday but Columbian climber Juan Mauricio Soler has become the first major casualty of this year’s race after being forced to retire.
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Soler, who won Le Tour’s King of the Mountains category in 2007, had struggled on after fracturing a wrist in the opening stage on Saturday.
But the 25-year-old crashed again in the neutral zone just before the start on Wednesday and pulled out 11km after leaving Cholet.
Stage five results:
1. Mark Cavendish (UK/Team Columbia) 5:27:52
2. Oscar Freire (Spain/Rabobank) same time
3. Erik Zabel (Germany/Team Milram) same time
4. Thor Hushovd (Norway/Credit Agricole) same time
5. Baden Cooke (Australia/Barloworld) same time
6. Robbie Hunter (South Africa/Barloworld) same time
7. Leonardo Duque (Colombia/Cofidis) same time.
8. Robbie McEwen (Australia/Silence-Lotto) same time
9. Francesco Chicchi (Italy/Liquigas) same time
10. Julian Dean (New Zealand/Garmin Chipotle) same time
Overall standings (after five stages):
1. Stefan Schumacher (Germany/Gerolsteiner) 19 hours, 32 minutes, 33 seconds
2. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Team Columbia) +12 sec
3. David Millar (Britain/Garmin Chipotle) same time
4. Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +21
5. Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland/Team CSC Saxo Bank) +33
6. Christian Vandevelde (United States/Garmin Chipotle) +37
7. George Hincapie (United States/Team Columbia) +41
8. Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden/Team Columbia) +47

Cavendish claims thrilling stage win Sport guardian.co.uk
Jul 9, 2008 … British rider Mark Cavendish produces classy sprint finish to win fifth stage of Tour.
9. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Liquigas) +58
10. Ivan Gutierrez (Spain/Caisse d’Epargne) + 1:01
OTHER: 97. Mark Cavendish (UK/Columbia) + 5:58
Points (after stage five of 21):
1. Thor Hushovd (Norway/Credit Agricole) 88 points
2. Oscar Freire (Spain/Rabobank) 85
3. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg/Columbia) 81
4. Erik Zabel (Germany/Milram) 72
5. Robert Hunter (South Africa/Barloworld)

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