Tour de France:Mark Cavendish silenced his critics and rivals with victory in the mass sprint finish of the 187.5-km fifth stage of the Tour de France from Epernay to Montargis.
Cavendish won six stages last year and four the previous year but looked below par since the beginning of this Tour, crashing in the first stage to Brussels and being outsprinted by Alessandro Petacchi yesterday.
The 25-year-old, who was hampered by a dental infection at the start of the season, finally set his doubts aside after great work by his Columbia team mates.
Gerald Ciolek (Team Milram) was second with Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen third for a second straight day.
Points classification leader Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) was fifth to retain the green jersey. Ireland’s Nicolas Roche remains 11th, one minute 42 seconds behind race leader Fabian Cancellara.
Cavendish has endured a torrid time since winning on the Champs Elysees - including being withdrawn from the Tour de Romandie for a two-fingered salute - and he crashed three kilometres out from the finish on the opening road stage last Sunday before yesterday's poor showing, when he appeared unable to accelerate with the finish line at his mercy.
Although he may already be too far off to win as he well adrift overall leader Hushovd and Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese), today's win went some way to answering the question marks over his form.
The general classification standings remained unchanged on a sweltering day south of Paris, where the temperatures soared to 40C (104F).
Cancellara (Team Saxo Bank) retained the yellow jersey ahead of Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) in second and Cadel Evans in third after six days of action.
Alberto Contador (Astana) stayed ninth, with Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack) 18th.
Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins stayed in 14th place overall, despite falling in the neutralised zone as the peloton meandered through Epernay.
The riders follow a parade route out of the start town each day before racing begins.
And deep in champagne country, Wiggins took a tumble seven kilometres into the stage. Team Sky reported Wiggins was in slight pain, but okay to continue and their leader swiftly rejoined the peloton.
The 30-year-old Londoner was among a huge swathe of riders to fall on slippery roads on the Tour's second road stage on Monday, suffering abrasions, but the pain of today's tumble may be more embarrassment than anything else.
A three-man breakaway began in the opening stages and was swallowed up with eight kilometres to the finish, despite Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) attempting a late dart away, which lasted until the four kilometre mark.
The pace was low on a stifling hot day, which was always going to be about the sprinters.