Kittel ‘ simply faster’ than Cavendish in 12th stage

TOURS, France — At the 100th Tour de France, it is Marcel Kittel and no longer Mark Cavendish who is looking like the fastest man on two wheels.

Everything was primed on Thursday for Cavendish to win a remarkable 25th Tour stage in his illustrious career.

His beefy teammate from Belgium, Gert Steegmans, did his job to perfection, guiding Cavendish into position for the final sprint to the line in Tours in the Loire valley.

But Cavendish simply wasn’t quick enough. Kittel overtook him just before the line. The fact that this was a man- to- man contest, fair and square with no excuses, made the German’s victory feel more significant than the winning margin — which was mere centimetres.

“He was just simply faster,” Cavendish conceded. “I can go back and look over and over again. I don’t think myself or the team could have done anything different. He was just simply better, you know?”

It would be foolish and premature to suggest that the Cavendish era at the Tour is ending. He is still by far the most successful stage winner in activity.

Two of the riders with more stage wins than him, Bernard Hinault, with 28, and Eddy Merckx, with 34, are long retired. The third, Andre Leducq, died in 1980. The Frenchman got 25 wins. Cavendish came to this Tour with 23 — the number is written in green on the black bike he rode on Thursday.

He won his 24th last week in Marseille and could still get to 25 and match Leducq’s total at this Tour. The last stage, especially, on the Champs- Elysees in Paris almost always offers a golden opportunity for sprinters. Cavendish is unbeaten on those cobblestones since 2009. Still, the 28- year- old must have been hoping for better from this 100th edition. Since his first victory in 2008, he has always won multiple stages at every Tour. In 2009, he won six.

Cavendish switched teams this year — from Sky to Omega Pharma- Quick Step — because he wanted to be even more successful at the Tour, specifically. Unlike at Sky, which last year focused its resources on Tour winner Bradley Wiggins and, at this Tour, race leader Chris Froome, Omega has built its team around Cavendish.

The 218- kilometre Stage 12 produced no change at the top of the overall standings. Froome still leads his main rivals by more than three minutes.