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Catanzaro-Lungomare, Italy, 13 May 2008 - Mark Cavendish and High Road both celebrated their first ever stage victory at the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday after the 21 year-old Briton used his high-speed finish to beat Robert Forster and Daniele Bennati.

A climb split the bunch 20km from the finish but the High Road team helped Cavendish get back up to the front of the bunch and then he used his high-speed sprint to win.

“I spoke to the team before the stage and said I need everybody with me before climb. They did a perfect job to keep me at the front before the climb and then went full gas to get me back to the front,” a delighted Cavendish said after personally thanking all his team mates.

“I wasn’t affected by the crash in the final kilometer but I was back in tenth place. Fortunately Tony Martin did a perfect job and took me to third. Bennati went at the right moment but I beat him because I’m younger and I’m quicker in the final 100 metres of sprints.”

“This the biggest win of my career. To come to the Giro and win is big for any rider and it’s made sweeter by the way team worked. The only thing I could do was finish it off with a win.”
It was Cavendish’s sixth win of the season and his seventeenth win in 18 months as a professional rider.

Unfortunately due to the hilly first week of the Giro, Cavendish will have to wait until Saturday’s ninth stage to San Vincenzo for another sprint.

The team’s other riders will be in contention on uphill finish in Contursi Terme at the end of Wednesday’s 203km fifth stage and Morris Possoni will again defend the best young rider’s white jersey during the stage.