Ireland’s Sam Bennett took a brilliant second place on Stage Two of the Tour of Britain yesterday, only pipped on the line by Gerald Ciolek of Team MTN-Qhubeka.

SYLVAIN CHAVANEL bade farewell to Cofidis by delivering a second Tour de France stage win for the French team in the 163-kilometre flat stage from Roanne to Montlucon yesterday.

MARK CAVENDISH lifted some of the gloom surrounding the Tour de France by becoming the first Briton to secure a hat-trick of stage victories in the Tour de France.