Cavendish wins first stage

SACRAMENTO — Mark Cavendish is the fastest cyclist in the world for 200 meters. But the British rider, like all great sprinters, needs teammates to properly position him at the front of race to showcase his talents.

His team did exactly that Sunday. With several teammates moving to the front in single file within the final mile, Cavendish, as he's done many times, waited until the final meters, bolted to the front and claimed the opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California.

Cavendish, 24, a 10-time Tour de France stage winner who rides for the American HTC-Columbia team, was timed in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 46 seconds in the 104.3-mile road stage from Nevada City.

Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) of Argentina was second and Alexander Kristoff (BMC) of Norway third in the same time.

Three-time defending race titlist Levi Leiphiemer (RadioShack) and teammate Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, approached the opening stage as expected. They rode in the main field and safely finished in same time as the winner.

"It's seven weeks to go for the Tour de France and it gave the team confidence," said Cavendish, who claimed his third win of the season. "We should get the same results as we did last year at the Tour de France."

With his 10-second bonus time for his win, Cavendish will have a four-second race lead over Haedo and a six-second margin over Kristoff for the second stage today, a 109.5-mile trek from Davis to Santa Rosa.

"I'm really happy," said Cavendish. "I thought it was going to be a bunch sprint and the team controlled it perfectly. When you've got eight guys giving 100 percent and all trusting each other it just works. Only one guy crossed with their hands in the air but it's a team effort."

Five riders, including former world titlists Tom Boonen (Quick Step ) of Belgium and Stuart O'Grady of Australia crashed on the final circuit. But all of the fallen riders finished and were given the same time as the winner.

Cavendish, who claimed his third career stage in the race's five-year history, stayed behind several teammates as the field of 128 riders approached the beginning of the three concluding circuits around the State Capitol. He then moved to the front inside the final half-mile and was briefly but unsuccessfully challenged by Haedo.

"The beginning was quite hard when the attack was trying to go but after that the team controlled it all day to keep the gap down," said Cavendish. "A couple of teams helped us along the way and then we took over. We've got the best team in the world for leading out a sprint and we know not to take over too early or too late."

Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank), Marc De Maar (United Healthcare) both of the Netherlands and Americans Chad Beyer (BMC) and Paul Mach (Bissell) emerged from the field after about 10 miles. The foursome built more than a five-minute lead and rode at the front for 84 miles and nearly four hours before being caught about 10 miles from the finish.