Cavendish wins final stage in Oman

Manx cyclist Mark Cavendish came up with resounding proof that he remains the sport’s top sprinter when he clinched his first victory of 2011 in the Tour of Oman yesterday.

It was career win number 63 for the 'Manx Missile', as Cavendish saw off a star-studded field on Muscat’s sun-drenched seafront, including world champion Thor Hushovd and top Classics specialist Tom Boonen, as he beat the pack to the line by a good bike length.

With the Milan-San Remo event - Cavendish's first big goal of the season - less than four weeks away, he described it as an ‘ideal start’.