British cyclist Mark Cavendish has won the green jersey for best sprinter in this year’s Tour de France.

It is the second time in his career, after 2011, that he has triumphed in the points classification battle.

Cavendish had been aiming to set a new all-time record of 35 Tour stage wins but he just missed out on victory in the final leg from Chatou to the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

He banged his handlebar in frustration as he finished third in the mass sprint which was won by Belgian Wout van Aert, with Jasper Philipsen, also of Belgium, second.

Slovenian Tadej Pogacar claimed the yellow jersey with his second successive Tour title after Sunday’s 21st and final stage.

The UAE Emirates rider also won the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider and the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification after a dominant performance throughout.

Earlier this month, Cavendish equalled Belgian TdF legend Eddy Merckx’s mark of 34 – a record which had stood since 1975.

The Manx rider claimed his latest victory when he crossed the finish line in Carcassonne on 9 July to win stage 13 of this year’s race.

He also won stages four, six and 10 on the 2021 tour.

It capped a remarkable turnabout in fortune for the 36-year-old rider, who had hinted last year that his career may be over after a run of poor form and illness.

In October, Cavendish suggested he may retire from cycling at the conclusion of the Gent-Wevelgem race in Belgium.

He said that race could be his final one, but signed for Deceuninck-Quick Step for the 2021 season and was drafted on to the team’s Tour de France roster last month after an injury to his teammate and fellow sprinter Sam Bennett.

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