(pic: fotoreporter sirotti)

Mark Cavendish got his 2009 Tour de France campaign off to a convincing start when he powered across the finish line of the 187km stage from Monaco to Brignoles, blasting away from his nearest challengers Tyler Farrar and Romain Feillu, who finished second and third respectively.

Cavendish was quick to thank his Columbia-HTC team mates following the win, the highly organised train of which perfectly set the British rider up in the closing kilometers as several teams jostled for position in an attempt to set their own sprinters up. As the road narrowed a right-hand bend caught out several riders, with one crashing causing many to swerve off course to avoid similarly hitting the deck.

Columbia-HTC’s strong men, in the shape of George Hincapie, Tony Martin and Mark Renshaw, held their nerve and road position and set an unbelievable pace. When Cavendish pulled out of the slipstream and started his sprint, only American Tyler Farrar could stay near him, but he was forced to watch as the Manxman accelerated away from him.

“When the team goes so perfect, there can be only one result,” said Cavendish. “We took control of the race, and finished off in spectacular fashion. It’s beautiful to wear the green jersey; it’s a big goal for any sprinter. It’s emotional for me, it’s emotional to be able to wear it.”

So Cavendish slipped on the green jersey, for which the young rider says he has no intentions of going out to win this year, but following this emphatic victory so early in the race, it’s hard to see how anybody will be able to challenge him for it.

“Wearing the green jersey is one of the biggest achievements for a sprinter, and I’m wearing it,” he said. “But I haven’t won it yet. My personal goal is to finish the Tour. Then there’s the team goal.”