Tour de France 2016: Mark Cavendish inch perfect as he pips German rival Andre Greipel on the line in Angers photo finish
MARK CAVENDISH snatched his second stage win in three days on the Tour de France - by an inch!
The Manx Missile's 28th career victory took him equal second on the all-time list alongside five-time winner Bernard Hinault.
Cavendish, who won Saturday's opening stage, triumphed after a late surge from Germany's Andre Greipel who punched the air as he crossed the line in Angers in a premature celebration.
But Cavendish was hopeful he had come out on top though had to wait before he was confirmed the winner in a photo-finish after almost 139miles and SIX hours on the road.
The Team Dimension Data rider, 31, said: “Who'd have thought when I started cycling that I would have my name mentioned in the same sentence as Bernard Hinault.
"He is one of the legends of the Tour so it pretty amazing. It's incredible and this is a pretty special thing for me.
"I normally know when I win or I lose.
"When I crossed the line, I kind of knew I got it but anything can happen. It was so hairy in the finish but we planned it.
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"I wanted to be behind Greipel. After I didn't win the first stage last year I was anxious, a bit like Andre today.
"When I came past I thought I would have it easy and he went again. It took me by surprise but I am so happy to have got that."
Cavendish was congratulated on the podium by Frenchman Hinault who now acts as a Tour ambassador.
He cradled 10-month-old son, Frey, in his arms as daughter Delilah, 4, was handed the victory flowers for the second time.
Cavendish is now just six off the all-time record of 34 stage wins held by Belgium's Tour legend Eddy Merckx.
And he will have a chance to bag another win on today's fourth stage from Saumur to Limoges which should finish in a sprint.
Reigning champ Chris Froome finished safely in the main pack and moved fourth overall just 14 seconds down on Slovakia's Peter Sagan who kept the leader's yellow jersey.
The Team Sky ace, 31, said: “So far, I really can’t complain. It couldn’t have gone any better."
The stage from Granville proved very slow with the peloton not taking risks after two crash-marred stages in Normandy.
And world champ Sagan admitted: "It was nice. At one point I thought we'd stop for coffee like old times."