"This second place is good for morale and there are still sprints to come" - Cees Bol confident that teammate Mark Cavendish can win at Tour de France

Mark Cavendish was close to making history yesterday at the Tour de France, but had a front seat view to Jasper Philipsen's third stage win instead. The mood within Astana Qazaqstan Team wasn't the best after the defeat, however it was a great sign of the team's ultimate goal.

“We already knew he was good. This second place is good for morale and there are still sprints to come. Now it is mainly sour, but it is a good result," Bol said in an interview with Wielerflits after the stage. "I was often behind him in preparation for the sprint, but after turning up the boulevard I was able to bring him well and give him speed.”

Whilst Astana have struggled with leading Cavendish out in the opening two sprints, the Manxman found his way through the peloton. This time around Cees Bol, who was signed to be his key leadout man in the sprints, also made his way through and managed to lend a hand.

“There was some room on the right because the wind was coming from there. I was sent out in time, so that Mark could still sprint," the Dutchman describes. In fact it was Cavendish's poor positioning into the sprint which allowed him to surprise the rest as the speed lowered in the final meters, however gear issues combined with an incredibly strong Jasper Philipsen were in the way of a 35th Tour win. The second week awaits with more opportunities for Cavendish.