Renshaw up to challenge
MARK Renshaw claimed an impressive third place when the Tour de France sped into London after his team backed him in the absence of former world champion Mark Cavendish.
The Australian has gone from being Cavendish’s leadout man to the man being led out for the sprints after the Brit spectacularly crashed out of the race.
Omega Pharma- Quick Step’s Renshaw yesterday finished third behind Marcel Kittle ( Giant- Shimano) and Cannondale’s Peter Sagan.
“I didn’t come here to sprint, I came here to lead out Mark Cavendish and things had to change after he had that crash,” Renshaw said after the third stage.
“( They were) big shoes to fill but I’m pretty happy to be third to those guys. Third to Kittel and Sagan is nothing to be ashamed of.”
Cavendish dislocated his collarbone when he tangled with Australian national champion Simon Gerrans 250m from the finish in Harrogate on Monday.
The star was at fault and later apologised to Gerrans.
Renshaw yesterday was proud the OPQS team rallied behind him in his new role.
The team came to the front with 5km remaining.
Multiple Tour stage winner Alessandro Petacchi and triple world time- trial champion Tony Martin both worked for the Australian.
“It shows we’ve pulled together really well,” Renshaw said.
The 31- year- old rode in support of Cavendish for three years before switching to Rabobank in 2012 to try to make it on his own. He was reunited with the Manxman when he joined OPQS in 2014. Asked if he was now the main man for the Tour’s flat stages, Renshaw replied: “We’ll see what happens.
“There’s a lot of racing to come and we’ve got some great riders in the team that will take chances now,” he said, before acknowledging he’ll target today’s flat finish in Lille.
“My legs are good,” the Australian said.
Countryman Richie Porte ( Sky) finished safely in the bunch yesterday and is now looking forward to a possible podium finish on the general classification.
“It was just nice to get through the UK stages without any big incidents,” the Tasmanian told reporters.