Tour de France: Mark Cavendish wins fifth stage, Fabian Cancellara retains yellow jersey

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Mark Cavendish has won the fifth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint, with the main yellow jersey contenders cruising behind in the main pack.

The British rider collected his 11th career stage victory at the tour over the mostly flat, 116.3-mile trek from Epernay in Champagne country to Montargis.

Fabian Cancellara retained the yellow jersey Thursday, Cadel Evans of Australia holds third place, 39 seconds back, and last year’s runner-up Andy Schleck of Luxembourg is sixth, 1:09 back.

Defending champion Alberto Contador is ninth, 1:40 back, while seven-time winner Lance Armstrong is 2:30 back in 18th.

The Tour ends July 25 in Paris.

Results from fifth stage, a 116.5-mile plain leg from Epernay to Montargis:

1. Mark Cavendish, Britain, Team HTC-Columbia, 4 hours, 30 minutes, 50 seconds.

2. Gerald Ciolek, Germany, Team Milram, same time.

3. Edvald Hagen Boasson, Norway, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.

4. Jose Joaquin Rojas, Spain, Caisse d’Epargne, same time.

5. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Cervelo Test Team, same time.

6. Sebastien Turgot, France, Bbox Bouygues Telecom, same time.

7. Robbie McEwen, Australia, Katusha Team, same time.

8. Alessandro Petacchi, Italy, Lampre-Farnese, same time.

9. Lloyd Mondory, France, AG2R La Mondiale, same time.

10. Tyler Farrar, United States, Garmin-Transitions, same time.

11. Samuel Dumoulin, France, Cofidis, same time.

12. Daniel Oss, Italy, Liquigas-Doimo, same time.

13. Danilo Hondo, Germany, Lampre-Farnese, same time.

14. Nicolas Roche, Ireland, AG2R La Mondiale, same time.

15. Yukiya Arashiro, Japan, Bbox Bouygues Telecom, same time.

16. Juan Antonio Flecha, Spain, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.

17. Andriy Grivko, Ukraine, Astana, same time.

18. Christopher Horner, United States, Team RadioShack, same time.

19. Alberto Contador, Spain, Astana, same time.

20. Egoi Martinez, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, same time.

Also:

22. Cadel Evans, Australia, BMC Racing Team, same time.

23. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.

25. George Hincapie, United States, BMC Racing Team, same time.

30. Lance Armstrong, United States, Team RadioShack, same time.

32. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, Team SaxoBank, same time.

35. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Team RadioShack, same time.

36. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Team RadioShack, same time.

37. Andy Schleck, Luxembourg, Team SaxoBank, same time.

38. Andreas Kloeden, Germany, Team RadioShack, same time.

42. Janez Brajkovic, Slovenia, Team RadioShack, same time.

70. Gregory Rast, Switzerland, Team RadioShack, same time.

90. Ryder Hesjedel, Canada, Garmin-Transitions, same time.

96. Sergio Paulinho, Portugal, Team RadioShack, same time.

100. Sylvain Chavanel, France, Quick Step, same time.

139. Brent Bookwalter, United States, BMC Racing Team, same time.

173. David Zabriskie, United States, Garmin-Transitions, 2 minutes, 27 seconds behind.

186. Dmitriy Muravyev, Kazakhstan, Team RadioShack, 5:23.

Overall Standings:

1. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, Team Saxo Bank, 22 hours, 59 minutes, 45 seconds.

2. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky Pro Cycling, 23 seconds behind.

3. Cadel Evans, Australia, BMC Racing Team, :39.

4. Ryder Hesjedel, Canada, Garmin-Transitions, :46.

5. Sylvain Chavanel, France, Quick Step, 1:01.

6. Andy Schleck, Luxembourg, Team Saxo Bank, 1:09.

7. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Cervelo Test Team, 1:19.

8. Alexandre Vinokourov, Kazakhstan, Astana, 1:31.

9. Alberto Contador, Spain, Astana, 1:40.

10. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Belgium, Omega Pharma-Lotto, 1:42.

11. Nicolas Roche, Ireland, AG2R La Mondiale, same time.

12. Johan Van Summeren, Belgium, Garmin-Transitions, 1:47.

13. Denis Menchov, Russia, Rabobank, 1:49.

14. Bradley Wiggins, Britain, Sky Pro Cycling, same time.

15. David Millar, Britain, Garmin-Transitions, 2:06.

16. Roman Kreuziger, Czech Republic, Liquigas-Doimo, 2:24.

17. Luis-Leon Sanchez, Spain, Caisse d’Epargne, 2:25.

18. Lance Armstrong, United States, Team RadioShack, 2:30.

19. Thomas Lovkvist, Sweden, Sky Pro Cycling, 2:34.

20. Jose Joaquin Rojas, Spain, Caisse d’Epargne, 2:35.

Also:

24. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Team RadioShack, 2:53.

26. Janez Brajkovic, Slovenia, Team RadioShack, 3:00.

28. Andreas Kloeden, Germany, Team RadioShack, 3:01.

43. Christopher Horner, United States, Team RadioShack, 3:17.

52. Yaroslav Popovych, Ukraine, Team RadioShack, 3:26.

108. George Hincapie, United States, BMC Racing Team, 9:12.

111. Brent Bookwalter, United States, BMC Racing Team, 10:24.

121. Sergio Paulinho, Portugal, Team RadioShack, 12:17.

122. Gregory Rast, Switzerland, Team RadioShack, 12:35.

154. David Zabriskie, United States, Garmin-Transitions, 19:59.

163. Tyler Farrar, United States, Garmin-Transitions, 22:03.

181. Dmitriy Muravyev, Kazakhstan, Team RadioShack, 30:21.

-- Associated Press