Philipsen hat-trick denies Cavendish Tour de France record

Jasper Philipsen won his third stage of the Tour de France in Bordeaux on Friday, overtaking a bitterly disappointed Mark Cavendish in a last-gasp effort after a see-saw struggle to the line.

??Hat-trick. #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/oSWfTRpJAR

The 38-year-old Cavendish appeared to be about to bag a record-breaking 35th career stage win on the Tour de France when he took the lead, but Philipsen then burst back past him to win by a bike length at the line.

Cavendish later claimed he had had a technical issue in the finale.

"I'm bitterly disappointed there, like majorly disappointed," said Cavendish.

"When I stood up to sprint it slipped a couple of gears so I sat down, then it slipped back and I stood up again and the same thing happened," he said.

Already dressed in the sprint points green jersey, Philipsen raised three fingers in celebration.

Behind the Belgian and Cavendish came Biniam Girmay in third.

The Eritrean was left waving a hand in remonstration after being cut off by the winner, who veered slightly in the high-speed finale when leaping into action as he noticed Cavendish surge ahead.

?? Rankings and jerseys after stage 7?? Classements et maillots distinctifs après l'étape 7#TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/IURK82yXJZ

Philipsen was graceful in victory, praising Cavendish as an all-time great.

"Cavendish was really fast and I would have loved to see him win," he said.

"When he shot past me I thought, that's incredible, he's going to get his 35th win. So I was happy that I managed to catch him and go past him, he (Cavendish) is the greatest sprinter off all time," he said.

The 25-year-old Philipsen has won all three stages that ended in bunch sprints and on the 2km long home straight his teammate Mathieu van der Poel again led the