Manx Missile Mark Cavendish won the Tour de France‘s 14th stage on Saturday, after defeating Alexander Kristoff and world champion Peter Sagan on a sprint finish. The cyclist has already achieved 30 victories at the most demanding bicycle race in Europe.

Cavendish has won four stages at the Tour de France in 2016. On Saturday he led the 129-mile race from Montelimar. Norway’s Kristoff ended second while Peter Sagan took the third place. Fifth-place winner Marcel Kittel said he was affected by a Cavendish’s mistake that made him break to avoid a collision.

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The 15th stage of the race begins on Sunday at 4:55 Eastern Time. Credit: Road Cycling UK

“The difference this year (with 2015) is the track (preparation for the Olympics) but not just that. To be fair I feel exactly the same, it’s just that you need to be patient. I think I’m being more patient than I was last year,” said Cavendish, according to Reuters.

Kittel said he started his sprint with 0.13 miles to go. He added that he was well positioned, but he suddenly saw Cavendish swerving to the right. “I needed to break to avoid a collision,” added the German. The jury revised Cavendish’s claims before announcing the final results.

The 14th stage’s winner said his last move was clean. “I think he was frustrated,” added Cavendish about Kittel. Saturday’s winner is now appraised as one of the greatest road sprinters in cycling, although he hasn’t won a place in the top ten general classifications yet.

Top 10 winners at stage 14, general classification

Cavendish ended the race after 5 hours, 43 minutes and 49 seconds, said the BBC. He was followed by Alexander Kristoff, Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb, and Marcel Kittel, respectively.

German Andre Greipel achieved the sixth place, followed by Bryan Coquard, Davide Cimolai, Christophe Laporte, and Samuel Dumoulin, respectively.

Saturday’s winners haven’t made it to the first places at the general classification. The latter is led by Britain’s Chris Froome, who has 63 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds of race time. The cyclist that accomplish all races of the Tour de France in less time will take home a prize of $551,825.

Germany’s Bauke Mollema is occupying the second place with one minute and 47 seconds back. Adam Yates is going third, followed by Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde, Tejay van Garderen, Romain Bardet, Richie Porte, Daniel Marin and Fabio Aru, respectively.

France increases security at Tour de France

France has increased security measures in areas where the Tour de France is being held, after Thursday’s terror attack in Nice that left at least 84 dead and 202 wounded.Armed police with automatic rifles are protecting roads where support vehicles pass, said The Telegraph.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme have remarked that French people should not change their lifestyle due to the pressure of terror groups. The 15th stage of the race begins on Sunday at 4:55 Eastern Time.

Sunday’s race in Bourg-en-Bresse, Culoz (99.4 miles), will be fundamental for cyclists who want to enter the general classification. Froome said that the contest circuit includes 0.24 miles of climbing and that it should not be underestimated.

Source: Reuters