‘Super happy’ Cavendish wins Tour’s green jersey

Mark Cavendish triumphed in the 21st and final stage of the 2011 Tour de France to win the green jersey but it was Cadel Evans who won the yellow jersey, the first time that an Australian has been victorious in cycling's greatest race.

Evans had all but secured his victory during Saturday's time trial so all he needed to do was stay within the bosom of the peloton in the 95km between Cretai and the Champs-Elysees.

The 34-year-old who rides for BMC Racing did just that, taking no risks throughout the stage, to become the oldest winner of the Tour de France since Henri Pelissier in 1923. "A few people always believed in me," Cadel said later, who was runner-up in 2007 and 2008. "I believed in me. And here we are today. We did it. It's been a beautiful race."

Evans's victory condemned Luxembourg's Andy Schleck to second place, the third year in a row that the Leopard-Trek rider has finished runner-up in the Tour de France. Schleck finished 1.34m behind Evans with brother Frank in third place overall.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of Europcar, who had led the peloton for much of the Tour, was fourth overall with last year's champion Alberto Contador in fifth place. Evans's victory breaks the Spanish stranglehold on the Tour with Contador, Carlos Sastre and Oscar Pereiro having won every previous race since 2005.

As for Cavendish, his victory in Paris means that he finished the 2011 Tour with five stage wins, a formidable achievement that lifts his stage wins in all Tours to 20. But more importantly for the rider they call the 'Manx Missile' Cavendish won the green jersey, awarded to the Tour's best sprinter.  

It's only the second time in the 108-year history of the Tour that a Briton has won one of the Tour's major honours; the other man to do so was Scotland's Robert Millar who was crowned King of the Mountains in 1984.

"I've been trying to get the green jersey for the last few years, it is a special day," said Cavendish, who rides for HTC-Highroad. "I've been incredibly lucky to have a group of team-mates who have been committed to me winning races and it has paid off. I can't stress how lucky I am, I couldn't do it alone."

In the battle for the green jersey Cavendish finished on 334 points with Spain's José Joaquín Rojas second with 272 and Philippe Gilbert third with 236.

As usual with Cavendish, he timed his attack to perfection, gradually increasing the pressure on his rivals as the peloton neared Paris. Then, with 200 metres to the finish, the Isle of Man rider struck, powering past team-mate Mark Renshaw to cross the line first and secure his third consecutive stage win in Paris. Asked how he felt, Cavendish replied: "I'm super emotional, super happy." ·