Britain's Mark Cavendish finally relaunched his stuttering sprint on the Tour de France by powering to victory on the fifth stage yesterday.

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara retained the overall leader's yellow jersey on another crash-free day for the peloton as they rode through the heat of Champagne country in pursuit of a three-man breakaway.

The last of that trio, Spanish champion Jose Ivan Gutierrez of Caisse d'Epargne, was caught with three kilometres of the 187.5km ride from Epernay remaining.

The sprinters' teams, notably Garmin, HTC-Columbia, Lampre and Cervelo then engaged in a tactical battle for the best position at the front, with Cavendish finally prevailing after emerging from the wheel of lead-out man Mark Renshaw.

Milram's German sprinter Gerald Ciolek finished second with Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen in third.

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