Tour de France 2009: Mark Cavendish retains green jersey but fails to win stage 12

On an afternoon when a determined break stayed away and Denmark's Nicki Sorensen sealed an impressive stage win, Mark Cavendish claimed useful sprint points to stretch his lead over Thor Hushovd in their absorbing battle for the green jersey.

For the first time on the 2009 Tour de France Cavendish contested, and won, an intermediate sprint early in the stage at Channes to claim six useful points – to Hushovd's two – and then when the bunch came in behind the break he won the sprint to finish eighth and claim 13 points, one more than Hushovd.

Cavendish now has 200 points to the Norwegian’s 190, with two clear-cut sprint stages to go – tomorrow in Besancon and then in Paris a week on Sunday.

With more than 200km of racing yesterday over gently rolling terrain, the attacks came thick and fast in a first hour, in which the peloton completed an impressive 48km. However, none of those attempts were allowed to leave the peloton’s clutches until the 64km mark, when a six-man group formed.

Sorensen, sensing that this was the decisive point, pulled away from the main bunch to try to join the breakaway group, who were allowed to go on ahead unhindered and soon built a five-minute lead.

With 5km to go, Sorensen then pulled away, leaving the fading Sylvain Calzati to be submerged by the chasing pack, which included Rinaldo Nocentini, who retained the yellow jersey, seven-time champion Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.

At the finish, Sorensen, 34, was free to bask in a first-ever Tour win after 10 years as a professional cyclist and seven previous Tours. Astada rider Contador remains in second place overall, with Armstrong in third. Bradley Wiggins finished in 17th spot and stays in fifth place,

There were five riders 48 seconds behind Sorensen, while Remi Pauriol was at 1min 33sec and the main peloton arrived at 5min 58sec, with all the contenders for the title arriving safe and sound.

The action could, however, be much hotter today when they race into the Vosges mountains, with the Col du Platzerwasel and the Col de la Schlucht offering the mountain goats an outside chance to show their class again, although neither climb is an epic.

There are three intermediate sprints en route and this could be a day for Team Columbia to fiercely protect Cavendish’s lead because Hushovd survives better in the mountains and might fancy at least the first two sprints of the day.

Tour de France details

Stage 12: 211.5-km from Tonnerre to Vittelge:

1. Nicki Sorensen (Denmark - Saxo Bank) 4hrs 52mins 24secs 2. Laurent Lefevre (France - Bbox - Bouygues) +48" 3. Franco Pellizotti (Italy - Liquigas) same time 4. Markus Fothen (Germany - Milram ) 5. Egoi Martinez (Spain / Euskaltel) 6. Sylvain Calzati (France - Agritubel) 7. Remi Pauriol (France - Cofidis) +1:33" 8. Mark Cavendish (Britain - Columbia) +5:58" 9. Thor Hushovd (Norway - Cervelo) 10. Marco Bandiera (Italy - Lampre)
Other: 17 B. Wiggins (GB, Garmin); 30. N Roche (Rep of Ireland, AG2R); 153. D Millar (GB, Garmin); 158. C Wegelius (GB, Silence-Lotto) all at 5-58.

Overall: 1. R Nocentini (Italy, AG2R) 48h 27m 21s; 2. A Contador (Spain, Astana) at 6s; 3. L Armstrong (US, Astana) 8; 4. L Leipheimer (US, Astana) 39; 5. Wiggins (Great Britain, Garmin) 46; 6. A Kloeden (Germany, Astana) 54; 7. T Martin (Germany, Columbia) 1m 00s; 8. C Vande Velde (US, Garmin) 1-24; 9. A Schleck (Luxembourg, Saxo Bank) 1-49; 10. V Nibali (Italy, Liquigas) 1-54.
Other: 51. Roche 16-45; 65. Millar 28-18; 81. Wegelius 36-14; 132. Cavendish 1h 13m 54s.

Points: 1. M Cavendish 200; 2. T Hushovd 190; 3. J J Rojas (Spain, Caisse d’Epargne) 116.

Mountains: 1. E Martinez (Spain, Euskaltel) 88pts; 2. F Pellizotti (Italy, Liquigas) 71; 3. C Kern (France, Cofidis) 59.

Team: 1. Saxo Bank 143h 47m 41s; 2. AG2R at 34s; 3. Astana 37.

Young rider: 1. T Martin 48h 28m 21s; 2. A Schleck at 49s; 3. V Nibali 54.