(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Mark Cavendish of Team Dimension Data returned in strong fashion to win the second stage of Abu Dhabi Tour on Friday.
By winning the Nation Towers Stage, the race's official ambassador also took the lead in the overall General Classification.
After missing out on first stage win, a determined Cavendish outsprinted Elia Viviani of Team Sky and Andrea Guardini of Astana Pro Team to clinch the 115km round.
Cavendish won the stage in 2 hours, 32 minutes and 21 seconds.
"I'm very happy to win here, being the ambassador of the race. I got caught on Thursday, I wanted to come here and be successful. It's very good to win. I was in a hard position at the end but to see Mark Renshaw come back and help me win was very enjoyable. The question about still being motivated so late in the season is also about how early the season starts. It's difficult to get WorldTour points in January and stay on form until now. I usually peak for the Tour de France in July, but this year is different because the World Championships suited me and the Abu Dhabi Tour suits me as well," the Red Jersey winner said.
Cavendish was all praise for Abu Dhabi City.
"It was incredible to pass through all the iconic sites of Abu Dhabi. It was impressive to see the buildings, the Grand Mosque, and the towers, and to finish in Al Marina".
The day's six-man breakaway included Jens Keukeleire of Orica-BikeExchange and Dion Smith of One Pro Cycling, who went up the road for the second straight day. They retained the black jersey of the Intermediate Sprints and the white jersey of Best Young Rider after getting reeled in by the peloton with less than 1km to go.
White Jersey winner Smith said: "I tried to increase the lead for the white jersey. The bonuses in the intermediate sprints really came first and I'm glad I gained three seconds on the way. So it was another good day for sure. But I had to keep sprinting really once we got caught in the last kilometer in order to avoid time gaps with the top sprinters."
Black Jersey holder Keukeleire said: "When there is an opportunity, it would be a shame to not try and defend a jersey so I went into the breakaway again with the black jersey in mind and I won the two intermediate sprints I was targeting. It was another good day."
The third - Strata Stage - will cover Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet 150km stretch. It comprises both urban surroundings and mountains.
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