Stage 11: Cavendish poised to resume usual service

Blaye Les Mines: Mark Cavendish should have his usual lead-out train in full throttle again as he chases his 18th Tour de France victory in the 11th stage on Wednesday.

The 167.5-km almost flat route between Blaye les Mines and Lavaur ends with a 2,000-metre straight finish that will favour the collective efforts of Cavendish`s HTC-Highroad team when it comes to the final sprint. Briton Cavendish, arguably the fastest sprinter in the world, lost out to fierce rival Andre Greipel of Germany on Tuesday after the Manxman was forced to do the sprint on his own with some 500 metres left."This stage should suit Mark better," HTC-Highroad sports director Allan Peiper told reporters. France`s Thomas Voeckler is likely to spend his second and penultimate day in the yellow jersey as the race will enter the Pyrenees on Thursday where the battle between the overall contenders will start at last.The big guns will stay one more day in the warmth of the peloton as three-times champion Alberto Contador is still nursing a knee problem. Bureau Report