Stage 1: Cancellara dominates

THE closest Australian Mark Renshaw should get to winning a stage on this year's Tour de France will be when he leads until 200m to go - then falls by the wayside. Being so close yet so far should be painfully frustrating but not for Renshaw, from Bathurst. That is, as long as the man hugging his rear wheel, British sprint star Mark Cavendish, finishes first. It is Renshaw's job to "pilot" Cavendish at up to 68km/h to the point where he can launch out of his slipstream and rocket to the line. As race results this year show, Renshaw is as good in his role as Cavendish is at adding the winning touch. The combination has helped to make their US registered team, Columbia-HTC, the most successful this year with 49 wins to its credit, with 13 having gone to the Isle of Man superstar. Renshaw, 26, and in his first season with... [read full story]                    

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