Mark Cavendish was left “bitterly disappointed” after a gear issue saw Jasper Philipsen pip him to victory on stage seven of the Tour de France.
Manxman Cavendish, 38, looked to be closing in on a record-breaking 35th stage win at the Tour.
However, Belgium’s Philipsen surged past him near the line to secure his third stage win in this year’s Tour.
Cavendish jointly holds the record for most Tour stage wins on 34 with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx.
“Once I kicked, I started, the gears jumped from the 11 to the 12, I had to sit down,” Cavendish told Eurosport.
“The cadence just whacks up. Then it goes back to the 11th, I tried to stand up. I needed to sit down. There was nothing you could do except, kind of hope.”
Denmark’s defending champion Jonas Vingegaard retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey on an uneventful day in the general classification. He leads two-time winner Tadej Pogacar by 25 seconds overall.
Simon Yates is the highest placed British rider over three minutes behind.
So close but so far for Cavendish
Cavendish is riding his 14th and final Tour, and while he has yet to win a stage there have been a number of positive signs for the veteran sprinter.
He hit a faster top speed than Philipsen during one of the race’s earlier sprints, albeit with the benefit of being out of the wind.
And, while he was not well enough placed to contend in either the Bayonne or Nogaro finishes, 13 years on from his last triumph in Bordeaux it looked as though, in the heart of a famed wine-growing region, he was going to have cause for celebration.
When he burst down the right-hand side to power into the lead with 200 metres to go it looked like Cavendish was going to move clear of five-time Tour champion Merckx to stand alone on 35 stage victories.
But, with the line in sight, Cavendish’s gears jumped twice and as he dropped back into the saddle Philipsen raced past to win his fifth consecutive sprint stage across two editions of the Tour.
“He [Cavendish] was really strong. I would also have loved to see him win, I think everybody would, but I’m sure he will keep on trying. He’s up there and in good condition,” said Philipsen.
Stage seven result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 3hrs 46mins 28secs
2. Mark Cavendish (GB/Astana-Qazaqstan) Same time
3. Biniam Girmay (Eri/Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert)
4. Luca Mozzato (Ita/Arkea-Samsic)
5. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned/Jayco-AlUla)
6. Jordi Meeus (Bel/Bora-hansgrohe)
7. Phil Bauhaus (Ger/Bahrain Victorious)
8. Bryan Coquard (Fra/Cofidis)
9. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Uno-X Pro)
10. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl – Trek)
General classification after stage seven
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Jumbo-Visma) 29hrs 57mins 12secs
2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) +25secs
3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-Hansgrohe) +1min 34secs
4. Simon Yates (GB/Team Jayco-AlUla) + 3mins 14secs
5. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) + 3mins 30secs
6. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +3mins 40secs
7. David Gaudu (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +4mins 03secs
8. Romain Bardet (Fra/DSM) +4mins 43secs
9. Thomas Pidcock (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time
10. Sepp Kuss (US/Jumbo-Visma) +5mins 28secs
