Cavendish wins Stage 13

Paris - Britain's Mark Cavendish won a drama-filled 13th stage of the Tour de France on Friday as former two-time winner Alberto Contador narrowed his deficit to yellow jersey holder Chris Froome.

Omega-Pharma sprinter Cavendish, taking his second win of the 100th edition of the race and 25th of his career, dominated a two-up sprint with Slovakian Peter Sagan.

The British champion had been near the front of the peloton when Contador's Saxo team turned the screw on Team Sky and caused a split in the pack 31km from the finish.

It left a group of 14 frontrunners to build a lead on the main bunch that grew to 1:09 by the finish, but with few sprinters of Cavendish's class among the group the Isle of Man rider won with relative ease.

"In the end it was just Sagan and myself, I was really happy to beat him," said Cavendish, who was beaten at the line on Thursday when German rival Marcel Kittle claimed his third win of the race.

The lead group's turn of pace soon left Froome behind and the Sky team of the Kenyan-born Briton failed to respond for the second time in the race as they fought in vain to close the gap.

One by one Sky dropped off the pace, leaving Froome isolated and requiring the help of other teams to aid in the chase.

At the finish, Contador moved up to third overall and, having been 3:54 down overnight, is now only 2:45 behind Froome, with Dutchman Bauke Mollema in second at 2:28.

Froome, who saw his Sky team collapse on Sunday, a day after he took the stage eight win and yellow jersey at Ax-Trois-Domaines, admitted he will have to pay special attention for the rest of the race.

"I've still got a comfortable lead, but today was just another reminder that this race is wide open," said the Briton.

"I've always known Contador and Saxo Bank are ready to take the race to you, so it's another reminder that you have to stay awake at all times."

Earlier in the race Mollema's Belkin team were instrumental in virtually ending the podium hopes of Spaniard Alejandro Valverde.

The Movistar team leader started the stage in second place overall at 3:25 but when he suffered a puncture, Belkin increased the pace at the front of the peloton and the former Tour of Spain winner was dropped.

Valverde's team-mates dropped back in a bid to pace him back to the peloton but after a long spell of chasing they gave up the ghost. He stopped chasing and eventually trailed home nearly 10 minutes off the pace.

Standings from the 13th stage of Tour de France a 173km ride from Tours to Saint-Amand-Montrond on Friday:

1. Mark Cavendish (GBR/OPQ) 3h40min 08sec

2. Peter Sagan (SVK/CAN) at 0:00.

3. Bauke Mollema (NED/BKN) 0:00.

4. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 0:00.

5. Niki Terpstra (NED/OPQ) 0:00.

6. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/SAX) 0:00.

7. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 0:00.

8. Laurens ten Dam (NED/BKN) 0:00.

9. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/OPQ) 0:06.

10. Michael Rogers (AUS/SAX) 0:09.

11. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SAX) 0:11.

12. Daniele Bennati (ITA/SAX) 0:17.

13. Maciej Bodnar (POL/CAN) 0:19.

14. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/SAX) 0:53.

15. Andr Greipel (GER/LTB) 1:09.

16. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/OPQ) 1:09.

17. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 1:09.

18. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/SOJ) 1:09.

19. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 1:09.

20. John Degenkolb (GER/ARG) 1:09.

21. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 1:09.

22. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 1:09.

23. Andy Schleck (LUX/RSH) 1:09.

24. Koen de Kort (NED/ARG) 1:09.

25. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 1:09.

26. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 1:09.

27. Matteo Trentin (ITA/OPQ) 1:09.

28. Simon Gerrans (AUS/ORI) 1:09.

29. Maxime Monfort (BEL/RSH) 1:09.

30. Andrew Talansky (USA/GRM) 1:09.

31. Daniel Navarro (ESP/COF) 1:09.

32. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) 1:09.

33. Amal Moinard (FRA/BMC) 1:09.

34. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 1:09.

35. Alan Marangoni (ITA/CAN) 1:09.

36. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 1:09.

37. Jack Bauer (NZL/GRM) 1:09.

38. Peter Velits (SVK/OPQ) 1:09.

39. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 1:09.

40. Jrme Pineau (FRA/OPQ) 1:09.

41. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 1:09.

42. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 1:09.

43. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 1:09.

44. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LTB) 1:09.

45. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA/AST) 1:09.

46. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 1:09.

47. Jesus Hernandez (ESP/SAX) 1:09.

48. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 1:09.

49. Steve Morabito (SWI/BMC) 1:09.

50. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 1:09.

51. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LTB) 1:09.

52. Sbastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 1:09.

53. Maarten Wijnants (BEL/BKN) 1:09.

54. Lars Boom (NED/BKN) 1:09.

55. Andreas Kloden (GER/RSH) 1:09.

56. Bram Tankink (NED/BKN) 1:09.

57. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 1:09.

58. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 1:37.

59. Ian Stannard (ENG/SKY) 1:54.

60. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR/KAT) 2:14.

61. Pavel Brutt (RUS/KAT) 2:15.

62. Tom Leezer (NED/BKN) 2:34.

63. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 2:39.

64. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/BKN) 2:43.

65. Frederik Willems (BEL/LTB) 3:32.

66. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/SKY) 4:30.

67. Tom Veelers (NED/ARG) 5:29.

68. Bart De Clercq (BEL/LTB) 5:29.

69. Jos Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) 9:54.

70. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 9:54.

71. Laurent Didier (LUX/RSH) 9:54.

72. Maxime Mederel (FRA/SOJ) 9:54.

73. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 9:54.

74. David Veilleux (CAN/EUC) 9:54.

75. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA/FDJ) 9:54.

76. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) 9:54.

77. Gatis Smukulis (LAT/KAT) 9:54.

78. Matthew Goss (AUS/ORI) 9:54.

79. Daryl Impey (RSA/ORI) 9:54.

80. Kris Boeckmans (BEL/VAC) 9:54.

81. Juan Jose Oroz (ESP/EUS) 9:54.

82. Markel Irizar (ESP/RSH) 9:54.

83. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 9:54.

84. Boy Van Poppel (NED/VAC) 9:54.

85. Jrgen Roelandts (BEL/LTB) 9:54.

86. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 9:54.

87. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 9:54.

88. Johannes Frhlinger (GER/ARG) 9:54.

89. Jens Voigt (GER/RSH) 9:54.

90. Robert Gesink (NED/BKN) 9:54.

91. Julien Simon (FRA/SOJ) 9:54.

92. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/SOJ) 9:54.

93. Tom Dumoulin (NED/ARG) 9:54.

94. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/SOJ) 9:54.

95. Adam Hansen (AUS/LTB) 9:54.

96. Roy Curvers (NED/ARG) 9:54.

97. Davide Malacarne (ITA/EUC) 9:54.

98. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 9:54.

99. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 9:54.

100. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC) 9:54.

101. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/BMC) 9:54.

102. Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR/BKN) 9:54.

103. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/CAN) 9:54.

104. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 9:54.

105. Julien El Fars (FRA/SOJ) 9:54.

106. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN/EUC) 9:54.

107. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 9:54.

108. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 9:54.

109. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 9:54.

110. Mikel Nieve (ESP/EUS) 9:54.

111. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA/COF) 9:54.

112. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/ORI) 9:54.

113. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 9:54.

114. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 9:54.

115. Rudy Molard (FRA/COF) 9:54.

116. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 9:54.

117. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 9:54.

118. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/AST) 9:54.

119. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 9:54.

120. Assan Bazayev (KAZ/AST) 10:05.

121. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 10:07.

122. Gert Steegmans (BEL/OPQ) 10:07.

123. Lieuwe Westra (NED/VAC) 10:07.

124. Marcel Kittel (GER/ARG) 10:07.

125. Roberto Ferrari (ITA/LAM) 10:07.

126. Brett Lancaster (AUS/ORI) 10:07.

127. Danny van Poppel (NED/VAC) 10:11.

128. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/AST) 10:11.

129. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 10:11.

130. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 10:11.

131. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 10:11.

132. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 10:11.

133. Manuele Mori (ITA/LAM) 10:11.

134. Dmitry Muravyev (KAZ/AST) 10:11.

135. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 10:11.

136. Jon Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 10:11.

137. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 10:11.

138. Juan Jos Lobato (ESP/EUS) 10:11.

139. Simon Geschke (GER/ARG) 10:11.

140. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP/VAC) 10:11.

141. Moreno Moser (ITA/CAN) 10:11.

142. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/FDJ) 10:11.

143. Jean-Marc Marino (FRA/SOJ) 10:11.

144. Serguey Lagutin (UZB/VAC) 10:11.

145. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/KAT) 10:11.

146. Alessandro De Marchi (ITA/CAN) 10:11.

147. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/ALM) 10:11.

148. Murilo Fischer (BRA/FDJ) 10:19.

149. Michael Albasini (SWI/ORI) 10:19.

150. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 10:19.

151. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SOJ) 10:19.

152. Jrme Cousin (FRA/EUC) 10:19.

153. Kvin Reza (FRA/EUC) 10:23.

154. Peter Kennaugh (GBR/SKY) 10:23.

155. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 11:47.

156. Cameron Meyer (AUS/ORI) 13:36.

157. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 13:36.

158. Rubn Plaza (ESP/MOV) 13:36.

159. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 13:36.

160. Sergio Paulinho (POR/SAX) 13:36.

161. Thomas De Gendt (BEL/VAC) 13:36.

162. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 13:36.

163. Romain Sicard (FRA/EUS) 13:36.

164. Mikel Astarloza (ESP/EUS) 13:36.

165. Simon Clarke (AUS/ORI) 13:36.

166. Greg Henderson (NZL/LTB) 13:36.

167. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 13:36.

168. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 13:36.

169. Jrome Coppel (FRA/COF) 13:36.

170. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 13:36.

171. Egoitz Garca (ESP/COF) 13:36.

172. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 13:36.

173. Guillaume Levarlet (FRA/COF) 13:36.

174. Tony Gallopin (FRA/RSH) 13:36.

175. Albert Timmer (NED/ARG) 13:36.

176. Brian Vandborg (DEN/CAN) 13:36.

177. Brice Feillu (FRA/SOJ) 13:36.

178. Jan Bakelants (BEL/RSH) 13:36.

179. Audrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 13:36.

180. Elia Favilli (ITA/LAM) 13:36.

181. Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP/MOV) 13:36.

. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) Withdrawn