Britain’s Mark Cavendish wins second stage of 3-day Tour of Ireland; Armstrong 20th overall

Cavendish wins second stage of Tour of Ireland

KILLARNEY, Ireland — Britain’s Mark Cavendish has won the second stage of the three-day Tour of Ireland, with Lance Armstrong 26 seconds behind the overall leader.

Armstrong also received Cavendish’s time of 5 hours, 7 minutes, 33 seconds. The Texan finished 74th on Saturday and is in 20th place overall.

Russell Downing kept the race leader’s yellow jersey by 5 seconds over Russia’s Alexander Kolobnev, with Matti Breschel of Denmark third.

The peleton stuck together throughout the 122-mile ride from Clonmel to Killarney before Cavendish, who won six stages at this year’s Tour de France, came out on top from a bunch sprint.

The final stage Sunday covers 115 miles from Bantry to Cork on Ireland’s south coast.