Advantage Cavendish

Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara sprints on the finish line at the end of the 52km individual time-trial and 19th stage of Tour de France yesterday.Photo: AFP

Thor Hushovd's early abdication has given Mark Cavendish a boost as bids to close yet another impressive Tour de France campaign with the green jersey on Sunday.
Norwegian sprinter Hushovd has been swapping the points classification's prize with Italian Alessandro Petacchi throughout most of the race.
But after his 14th place on the penultimate bunch sprint on Friday the big Cervelo sprinter no longer believes in his chances of challenging for the prize he won in 2005 and 2009.
"The green jersey is over for me," Hushovd said after the 18th stage won in comfortable fashion by HTC-Columbia sprinter Cavendish.
"I just haven't been good enough in the sprints."
With Petacchi now leading the competition on 213 points, with a 10 point lead on Hushovd and 16 on Cavendish, the Italian is in prime position to win the points classification.
However, with the points awarded in descending order for the first finishers on Sunday -- 35 points for the stage win, 30 for second place etc -- the green jersey battle will really go right to the line.
Lampre sprinter Petacchi rolled back the years to win two stages in the opening week as Cavendish misfired, only for the Isle of Man rider to come charging back.
The ease with which Cavendish won Friday's stage, leaving Petacchi in third place, left the Italian doubting his chances of stopping the Manxman from becoming Britain's first ever green jersey winner.
"I am happy to have the green jersey again, but I know I need to make a strong sprint in Paris to win it. It will not be easy," Petacchi said.
Sunday's 20th and final stage, a 102.5km ride from Longjumeau in southwest Paris to the Champs Elysees, is usually a relaxed affair as most of the peloton celebrate simply surviving the race and the jersey winners drink Champagne.
Attacks are likely to come early once the peloton arrives in the capital, but they are likely to be brought to heel by the sprinters' teams before the eighth and final lap.
Cavendish came into the race aiming to win the green jersey, then lost hope only to be brought back into contention thanks to his stage successes.
In what seems to be an effort not to break the winning spell, he is trying to keep all talk of winning the points classification to a minimum.
"I've got to try and win on the Champs Elysees, whatever the situation," said Cavendish, who annihilated his stage rivals to win on Paris's most famous boulevard last year.