Tour de France 2009: Mark Cavendish makes history with ninth stage win

Mark Cavendish set a new British record for stage wins on the Tour de France when he sprinted to his fifth win of this year's race on the 19th stage.

This was Columbia rider's ninth stage win in total - a new British record.

Cavendish, who rides for Columbia, held off green jersey rival Thor Hushovd of Norway with a wicked turn of pace in the final few hundred metres of the sprint after he had been led in by teammate Tony Martin.

Hushovd finished second while Germany's Gerald Ciolek took third on the 169km stage which began in Bourgoin-Jallieu and which failed to produce a winning breakaway.

Ahead of Saturday's 20th stage, which includes the 21.1km climb to the summit of the Mont Ventoux, Spaniard Alberto Contador of Astana remains the race leader with a 4min 11sec lead on Luxembourg's Andy Schleck.

Third place overall, Lance Armstrong finished just behind the sprinters to close his gap to Contador by four seconds, although the American is still over five minutes off the pace at 5:21.

Cavendish won four stages last year and with his five from this edition it means he eclipses the previous British record of eight, held by England's Barry Hoban, who raced in the 1960s and 70s.

Tour de France details

Stage 19: the 178km (110.6-mile) trek from Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas:

1. Mark Cavendish (Britain, Team Columbia-High Road) 3 hours, 50 minutes, 35 seconds. 2. Thor Hushovd (Norway, Cervelo Test Team) same time, 3. Gerald Ciolek (Germany, Team Milram) s.t., 4. Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium, Silence-Lotto) s.t., 5. Oscar Freire (Spain, Rabobank) s.t., 6. Jerome Pineau (France, Quick Step) .s.t., 7. Fumiyuki Beppu (Japan, Skil-Shimano) s.t., 8. Nicolas Roche (Ireland, AG2R-La Mondiale)s.t., 9. Christophe Le Mevel (France, Francaise des Jeux) s.t., 10. Martijn Maaskant (Netherlands, Garmin-Slipstream) s.t..

Other: 24. Alberto Contador (Spain, Astana) s.t., 26. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy, Liquigas) s.t., 27. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg, Team Saxo Bank) s.t..

Overall: 1. Alberto Contador (Spain, Astana) 77hrs 6mins 18 secs. 2. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg, Team Saxo Bank) 4:11. 3. Lance Armstrong (United States, Astana) 5:21. 4. Bradley Wiggins (Britain, Garmin-Slipstream) 5:36. 5. Andreas Kloeden (Germany, Astana) 5:38. 6. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg, Team Saxo Bank) 5:59. 7. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy, Liquigas) 7:15. 8. Christian Vande Velde (United States, Garmin-Slipstream) 10:08. 9. Christophe Le Mevel (France, Francaise des Jeux, 12:37. 10. Mikel Astarloza (Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi) 12:38.