From Paris to the London Games for Mark Cavendish

MARK Cavendish barely had time to comprehend the enormity of Team Sky's Tour de France dominance before sizing up the Olympic road race.

Cycling Tour de France

MARK Cavendish barely had enough time to comprehend the enormity of Team Sky's Tour de France dominance before sizing up Saturday's London Olympic Games road race.

Cavendish posted his 23 Tour stage win - and his fourth in succession on the Champs-Elysees - to add the crowning glory to Bradley Wiggins's first overall Tour success.

The Isle of Man star has prepared specificially for the Olympic road race, predicting he can give Great Britain medal quest a flying start on the first day of competition.

And based on his three Tour wins - and his teamwork with Wiggins and Chris Froome - the reigning world champion will be tough to stop this weekend.

"Everything is on target," he beamed after roaring to victory over Slovakian Peter Sagan and Tasmania's Matt Goss.

"Everything has gone the way I planned - and still is.

"I'm looking forward to Saturday."

Cavendish's trademark pile-driving finish capped a phenomenal race for Sky as Wiggins became the first Briton to win the Tour, usurping Australian Cadel Evans as cycling's king.

Fighting back tears of joy after dominating the 3497km, three-week marathon, Wiggins piloted Cavendish to yet another triumph.

Cavendish's win condemned Goss to his fifth minor placing of the race.

"It's an honour to win on the most special avenue in the world wearing the world champions' jersey," he said.

"I'll be back next year year to try and make it five wins in a row."

Goss racked up two seconds and three thirds after again threatening victory by charging at his former HTC-Highroad team-mate.

"I tried to come off too early and then we raced it for a bit," Goss said. "He's just too quick."

Wiggins was swamped by excited team-mates in the shadows of the Arc de Triomphe as the reality of his achiement set in.

"It's been a magical couple of weeks for the team and for British cycling," Wiggins said.

"Some dreams come true. My mother over there, she's now -her son has won the Tour de France."

The last time two riders from the same nation finished first and second in the Tour was in 1984, when Frenchman Laurent Fignon defeated Bernard Hinault.

After observing the customarily sedate rolling tempo until the race reached central Paris, the race exploded once retiring George Hincapie was given the honour of leading it onto the Champs-Elysees.

The last three breakaways, led by German stalwart Jens Voigt, were caught 2.4km from the finish before the sprint trains jostled.

Wiggins led out Cavendish as Goss and Sagan hovered menacingly.

Neither man had the speed to combat Cavendish in the drive to the line.

Wiggins completed an impressively sustained performance by cruising across the Champs-Elysees finish line in zzzth

The Londoner entered the race as favourite, moved to second overall after the prologue, took the outright lead on the eighth stage and held the yellow thereafter.

He amassed seven top-10 finishes, featuring time trial wins in Besancon and Chartres.

Visited at the Sky team bus in Rambouillet before the start of a triumphant ride into the French capital, Wiggins posed for the traditional photographs with team-mates en route to Paris.

Marking the occasion with customary flair and dash, Sky changed the livery on its vehicles and uniforms from blue to yellow.

Evans used the final stage to hail American veteran Hincapie's contribution to the race.

Hincapie, 39, will retire at the end of the season after sharing in nine Tour victories - seven with Lance Armstrong and one each with Alberto Contador and Evans.

"I don't know if George is replacable," he said. "He's really one of a kind.

"There are other riders who can do it (sacrifice for team leaders) physically, but they don't have the motivation to do what ever it is.

"He did it year after year.

"He's always been so professional. He's the first rider to go to bed and the first one in the morning.

"To have him a a team-mate, it was like having an extra set of eyes."

Evans said he found it difficult to impact on this year's race because of the increased scrutiny after last seasion's triumph.

"It's one thing to get there (win)," he said.

"For example, last year we came into the Tour and I was already discounted - I would never win the Tour - and in some ways it makes it easier.

"Whereas this year everyone is watching every move you make."

American Tejay van Garderen won the best young rider, white jersey category.

Sagan crowned a marvellous debut Tour by winning the green sprinters's jersey.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler was acclaimed as the best climber with the polka-dot the King of the Mountain jersey.

RadioShack-Nissan won the team's award.