Cavendish bounces back for another Giro stage win

Mark and Delilah Cavendish, Giro d'Italia 2012, stage five

Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) showed that his sprinting ability remains unaffected by Monday's crash when he claimed his second stage of this year's Giro d'Italia in Fano.

With girlfriend Peta Todd and their recently born daughter Delilah waiting for him at the finish, the world champion took the victory a length ahead of former team mate Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge).

Radioshack-Nissan's Daniele Bennati claimed third with South Africa's Robbie Hunter in fourth.

Ramunas Navardauskas maintained his lead in the race although his Garmin-Barracuda team mate Tyler Farrar dropped from second place after getting tailed off by the bunch on the run in.

Cavendish received another good set up from his Sky team mates despite an attempted highjacking from Orica in the final kilometre. Lead out by Geraint Thomas on the front, he perfectly anticipated the jump from Goss behind and held him there to the line.

Starting from Modena, a town famous for its balsamic vinegar, the stage traced an almost dead straight line down the edge of the Po valley to the Adriatic seaside.

Almost pan flat for the first hundred miles and broken by just a few low lying climbs on the coast, it was a day that had sprint written all over it from the start.

Nonetheless an early four-man move did try their chances.

Comprising Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli), Pier Paolo De Negri (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) and the Lotto-Belisol pair of Olivier Kaisen and Brian Bulgac, they gained a maximum of around six minutes before a chase led by Liquigas reeled back its fragments with 20km to go.

It proved another difficult day for Taylor Phinney, his ankle still strapped from crashing alongside Cavendish on Monday. The former race leader came down in a fall in the final 40km after Lucas Sebastian Haedo touched a wheel in the bunch.

Results

Giro d'italia 2012 stage five: Modena to Fano, 209km

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky in 4:43:15

2. Matt Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan

4. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Barracuda

5. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox

6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

7. Elia Favilli (Ita) Farnese Vini

8. Manuel Belletti (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale

9. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ BigMat

10. Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (Den) Saxo Bank all same time

Overall classification after stage five

1. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Barracuda in 10-01-53

2. Robbie Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Barracuda at 5 secs

3. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda at 11 secs

4. Matt Goss (Aus) Orica-Green Edge at 13 secs

5. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky at 14 secs

6. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky at 21 secs

7. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo Bank at 19 secs

8. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Barracuda at 26 secs

9. Joaquin Rodriguez (Esp) Katusha at 30 secs

10. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 30 secs

Mark Cavendish takes his second stage win of the 2012 Giro d'Italia

Cavendish celebrates with baby daughter Delilah

Ramunas Navardauskas keeps hold of the pink jersey

Giro d'Italia 2012: Latest news

Sky's Giro team time trial disappointment

Phinney's terrible day sees Giro lead slip away

Teams ready for Giro's team time trial

Phinney given all-clear after Giro crash

Ferrari should be ashamed of Giro sprint, says Cavendish

Giro remembers Wouter Weylandt

Cavendish and Thomas a winning combo, says Brailsford

Geraint Thomas narrowly misses out on Giro lead

Phinney realises Giro dream

Giro d'Italia 2012: Live coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 live text coverage schedule

Giro d'Italia 2012: Stage reports

Stage four: Garmin-Barracuda win TTT to take lead

Stage three: Goss wins in Horsens as Cavendish and Phinney crash

Stage two: Cavendish wins in Herning

Stage one: Phinney wins time trial

Giro d'Italia 2012: Photo galleries

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Giro d'Italia 2012: Teams and riders

Giro d'Italia 2012 start list

Giro d'Italia 2012: TV guide

Giro d'Italia 2012: British Eurosport TV schedule

Related links

Giro d'Italia 2012: The Big Preview

Cycling Weekly's Giro d'Italia section

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