THE winning feeling returned for Mark Cavendish on the fifth stage of the Tour de France after a fraught and forgettable period on and off the bike.

Mark Cavendish stuck two fingers up to his critics – in a metaphorical sense this time – with victory on the fifth stage of the Tour de France.

SPAIN took the honours on the fourth stage of the Tour de France yesterday with ONCE-Eroski claiming the team time trial and Gasteiz-born Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano taking over the yellow jersey.