Cavendish pipped at Scheldeprijs

Manxman denied on the line by Kittel

Mark Cavendish has been denied a fourth victory in the Scheldeprijs race in Belgium by little more than the the width of a tyre rim.

After 208 kilometres of racing at the one-day sprinter's classic today, he was pipped by German rider Marcel Kittel.

The pair were so close, they had to be separated by a photo-finish.

Another german, Andre Greipel, came third.

The riders had to contend with rain and strong winds during the race, which ran from Antwerp to Schoten, culminating in three laps of a circuit in the latter town.