Another sensational sprint victory saw Mark Cavendish win stage 18 of the Tour de France in Bordeaux today.
The win on the 198-kilometre stage from Salies-de-Bearn was the 25-year-old Briton's fourth in the 2010 Tour and his 14th in three seasons.
Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) finished ahead of Julian Dean (Team Garmin-Transitions) and Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese) by a margin which was so comfortable he was even able to look around before crossing the line with his arms aloft in a victory salute.
Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) finished 14th to concede the points classification leader's green jersey he held at the start of the day to Petacchi.
Italian Petacchi now has 213 points, Hushovd 203 and Cavendish 197 after his 35-point haul today.
But the Isle of Man sprinter must rely on his rivals slipping up if he is to claim the maillot vert he covets.
Sunday's 20th stage from Longjumeau to the Champs Elysees is usually a procession for the overall contenders.
After 10 laps of the famous Paris boulevard the Tour's finale almost always ends in a sprint finish and it is now set to determine who is the winner of the maillot vert - with Cavendish firmly in position if Petacchi or Hushovd falter.
Alberto Contador (Astana) stayed out of trouble to retain the race leader's yellow jersey and his eight-second lead over Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) ahead of tomorrow's 52km time-trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac.
While the focus tomorrow will return to the maillot jaune duel between Contador and Schleck - set to end in the Spaniard's favour as he is the superior rider against the clock - today was all about the sprinters.
Cavendish defied the loss of his leadout man Mark Renshaw, who was excluded from the Tour for three headbutts to a rival on the 11th stage to Bourg-les-Valence, to power to another sensational sprint win.
The Manx Missile, who won four Tour stages in 2008 and six in 2010, climbed over four Pyrenean stages at the rear of the pack, but today returned to the flat terrain he dominates.
With Renshaw absent, Cavendish positioned himself cleverly behind first British squad Team Sky and then Hushovd's Cervelo Test Team before bursting away and glancing over his shoulder in a show of superiority over his rivals.
Cavendish has endured a rollercoaster ride in his fourth Tour.
His stated aim before the race began was the green jersey, having come within 10 points of Hushovd as he reached Paris for the first time in 2009.
However, Cavendish crashed on the opening road stage into Brussels and failed to show his trademark acceleration on the fourth stage to Reims.
Following advice from Petacchi, who has won two stages thus far in the 2010 Tour, Cavendish bounced back with successive victories on stage five in Montargis and stage six in Gueugnon, before winning the next flat stage in Bourg-les-Valence.
His triumph today means Cavendish sits 16 points behind Petacchi and six adrift of Hushovd with his green jersey dream still a possibility.
With 35 points to go to the winner of Sunday's stage, Cavendish must finish first.
If Cavendish wins, Hushovd finishes no higher than third and Petacchi eighth or lower, the green jersey would be the Briton's.
If Cavendish wins, Hushovd finishes no higher than third and Petacchi finishes seventh, the Briton would claim the maillot vert courtesy of a superior number of stage wins.
Tour de France stage 18 result and standings.
Result and overall standings after the 198km 18th stage of the Tour de France from Salies-de-Bearn to Bordeaux on Friday:
1 Mark Cavendish (Britain/HTC - Columbia) 4hrs 37mins 09secs
2 Julian Dean (New Zealand / Garmin) same time
3 Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Lampre)
4 Robbie McEwen (Australia / Katusha)
5 Oscar Freire (Spain / Rabobank)
6 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway / Team Sky)
7 Juergen Roelandts (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Lotto)
8 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne)
9 Grega Bole (Slovenia / Lampre)
10 Ruben Perez (Spain / Euskaltel)
11 Sebastien Turgot (France / Bbox - Bouygues)
12 Anthony Roux (France / FDJ)
13 Lloyd Mondory (France / AG2R)
14 Thor Hushovd (Norway / Cervelo)
Overall standings
1 Alberto Contador (Spain / Astana) 88hrs 09mins 48secs
2 Andy Schleck (Luxembourg / Saxo Bank) +8"
3 Samuel Sanchez (Spain / Euskaltel) +3:32"
4 Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank) +3:53"
5 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium/Omega Pharma-Lotto) +5:27"
6 Robert Gesink (Netherlands / Rabobank) +6:41"
7 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) +7:03"
8 Ryder Hesjedal (Canada / Garmin) +9:18"
9 Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Liquigas) +10:12"
10 Chris Horner (U.S. / RadioShack) +10:37"
