Cavendish makes it four on scandal-free day

Mark Cavendish took his fourth win on the Tour de France's 13th stage, a 182km ride from Narbonne to Nimes, as the race enjoyed a scandal-free Friday. The roads were lined with thousands of people cheering the riders despite the doping scandals that erupted this week.

Italian Riccardo Ricco tested positive for the blood-booster EPO and his Saunier Duval team withdrew on Thursday. Before him, Spaniards Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas Nevado also tested positive for erythropoietin.

Ricco and compatriot Leonardo Piepoli were kicked out of the Saunier Duval team on doping grounds yesterday. Team manager Mauro Gianetti said he knew of no failed test by Piepoli but was unhappy with the rider's answers when questioned.

On the roads, Briton Cavendish of Team Columbia became the first man to win four stages in the same Tour since fellow sprinter Italian Alessandro Petacchi in 2003.

Cavendish easily beat veteran Australian Robbie McEwen of the Silence-Lotto team and France's Romain Feillu of Agritubel.

Australian Cadel Evans, of Silence-Lotto, enjoyed a trouble-free day at the heart of the peloton and retained his overall leader's yellow jersey with a one-second advantage over Luxembourg's Frank Schleck.