Tour de France Stage 7: Long wait ends as Mark Cavendish takes win number 26

Mark Cavendish has got his 26th career Tour de France stage win - and his third in the colours of Etixx-Quick Step - beating Andre Greipel of Lotto-Soudal and Tinkoff-Saxo's Peter Sagan in a close sprint finish at the end of Stage 7 in Fougères.

It's the Manxman's first victory in the race since Stage 13 of the 2013 race, and will help ease his team's disappointment at race leader Tony Martin breaking his collarbone yesterday in a late crash, with Cavendish dedicating his win to his team mate.

Chris Froome came home safely in the bunch and is back in the yellow jersey, swapping the normal Team Sky jersey he wore today for the iconic garment of Tour de France leader at the end of the 190.5 kilometre stage from Livarot - the most uneventful in what has been a frenetic opening week to the 102nd edition.

Luis Ángel Maté of Cofidis and Brice Feillu of  Bretagne-Séché Environnement were the last survivors of the day’s break and were swept up with 11 kilometres remaining as the sprinters’ teams came to the fore to try and set their men up.

Tomorrow sees what should be a hard-fought battle for the stage win with a tough uphill finish at Mur de Bretagne – Cadel Evans won there in 2011 on his way to becoming Australia’s first ever Tour de France winner.

That’s followed on Sunday by a 27km team time trial from Vannes to Plumelec – a comparatively long distance for the discipline, and with an undulating profile and uphill finish, one that could see some significant time gaps between the overall contenders.