Mark Cavendish wins first stage of Tour of California (The Associated Press)

Britain’s Mark Cavendish powered past Slovakia’s Peter Sagan just before the finish line Sunday to win the first stage of the Tour of California. ”I thought (teammate) Mark Renshaw might have gone a bit long, but when I saw (Peter) Sagan in the wind I knew I had it,” Cavendish said. I went with 200 meters to go, and we timed it just right, and I’m super happy to win again in Sacramento.” Sagan, the four-time sprint competition winner in the Tour de France and an 11-time stage winner at the Tour of California, was second in the same time.