MARK CAVENDISH MADE it back-to-back stage wins at the Tour of Britain on Wednesday, taking control of the general classification race after four stages.
Cavendish edged out Steele Von Hoff and Leigh Howard in a bunch sprint at the end of a 156-kilometre ride from Carlisle to Blackpool.
There was disappointment for Carrick-on-Suir’s Sam Bennett who couldn’t reproduce the performance that saw him finish fifth on Tuesday.
Bennett finished down the field in 76th, 3:37 behind Cavendish, and dropped out of the GC top 10 to 29th place overall.
Bennett’s team-mate Ronan McLaughlin was the best of the An Post-Sean Kelly riders in 24th place, earning the day’s Roleur Magazine Combativity Award.
“I was winning like soooooo many times today,” the Donegal native tweeted after moving up to 24th place in the GC. Gediminas Bagdonas, who finished the day in 33rd , is 34th overall.
Of the other An Post riders Mark McNally finished 44th, Niels Wytinck finished 71st, and Pieter Ghyllebert finished 88th.
Belfast’s Peter Hawkins (IG-Sigma Sport) finished 56th.
