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MARSEILLE, France -- Mark Cavendish will never be the greatest Tour de France rider, because he will never win the race five times like Eddy Merkcx of Belgium and Frenchman Bernard Hinault. Still, the sprinter with thighs like thick hams could outdo both of those legends -- by winning more stages than them at cyclings premier race. By Cavendishs warp-speed standards, his 24th stage win on Wednesday was like taking candy from a baby. The teammates who led Cavendish to the finish, sucking him along in their wheels, building up his speed, were toiling like clockwork. Stamping on his pedals, head down, thighs pumping like pistons, Cavendish then whooshed off alone for the last 150 metres (yards), leaving everyone else in his wake. Cavendish was carrying so much momentum and this win in Marseille, Frances second-largest city, was so comfortable that he was able to sit up in the saddle and make a hand motion like cracking a whip as he crossed the line. One more stage win will tie Cavendish with Andre Leducq, the Frenchman who got 25 stage wins in the 1920s and 1930s, putting him third on the all-time list. Beyond Leducq is Hinault, who notched up 28 wins in the 1970s and 80s. Merckxs monument is 34, won from 1969 to 1975. Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain also won five Tours, but didnt win as many stages as Hinault and Merckx. Anquetil won 16; Indurain got 12. All seven of Lance Armstrong Tour wins were stripped from him for doping. This 100th Tour is the first since Armstrongs fall last year. Victorias Ryder Hesjedal was the top Canadian in the fifth stage, finishing 103rd. Hesjedal, who confirmed Wednesday that hes racing with a broken rib, is 14th in the overall classification, 17 seconds behind Gerrans. Quebec Citys David Veilleux is 143rd, 25 minutes and 28 seconds off the pace, while Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., is 169th, 33:23 off the pace. Cavendish makes out that he isnt fixated on Hinault or Merckxs numbers. He notes that for many riders, winning just one stage at the 110-year-old Tour -- let alone the 11 he needs to overhaul Merckx -- is a career-defining feat. "You have to show the Tour de France the respect it deserves," he said. But then Cavendish isnt any other rider. Before this edition, he collected on average nearly five wins at every Tour since 2008. In 2009, he got six. He won the last four sprint finishes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, where he is unbeaten since 2009. While Merckxs record is still a way off, Hinault and most certainly Leducq look within Cavendishs grasp. "Obviously I aim to win multiple stages each year. But to set any goals, any number ... it does one of two things: It sets you up to fail for something or it puts like a mark on what you want to achieve and it can kind of stop you trying to move forward," he said. Were Cavendish to overtake Hinault, it wouldnt mean he is a better overall rider than the famously bad-tempered "Badger," who was strong on every terrain. But in a sprint, Cavendish has no equal, at least in this generation. Although Cavendish downplays the chase for stage-win milestones, he is certainly very aware of them. The Tour director, Christian Prudhomme, says that more than a year ago, at the Tour of Oman, he quietly tested Cavendishs knowledge of Tour de France history and was delighted when he rattled off the names of Andre Darrigade, who won 22 stages in the 1950s and 60s, as well as Leducq, Hinault, Merckx and their respective totals. "He is aware of what does it take ... to become No. 1 on the list of most winning riders ever," confirmed Rolf Aldag, one of the managers of Cavendishs Omega Pharma-Quick Step team. "He has a chance to make history," he said. "Its a goal, its a target." Cavendish would be the first to note that, unlike Merckx, he doesnt win alone. His teammates worked tirelessly to manoeuvre him into place in Marseille. They helped reel in breakaway riders who scooted off ahead and then delivered him like express mail to within sight of the line. Omegas Italian rider, Matteo Trentin, surged to the front and pedalled as hard as he could up to and around the final left-hand bend, pulling Gert Steegmans and Cavendish behind him. Exhausted, Trentin then made way for Steegmans, who led Cavendish at top speed to the signboard marking 150 metres to go. From there, the man known as the "Manx Missile," because he comes from the Isle of Man, did the rest. "Perfect, man, perfect," Trentin said. "The basic plan never changes," Aldag said. "The basic plan is always we believe hes the fastest sprinter and we do everything that needs to be done to try to make him win." "I didnt do anything," Cavendish said. "Gert went with such speed that I could accelerate off his wheel and just carried on the speed he delivered me at." Stage 6 on Thursday -- 176.5 kilometres (110 miles) from Aix-en-Provence to Montpellier -- should also suit Cavendish, because it is flat. With his short, muscular frame, he doesnt like steep climbs. Simon Gerrans of Australia will again wear the yellow jersey, after keeping the race lead on Wednesdays bumpy 228.5-kilometre (142-mile) trek from the beach resort of Cagnes-sur-Mer. Cheap Nike Air Jordan 11 . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS. Wholesale Authentic Air Jordan 11 . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout. http://www.cheapairjordan11.us/ . Philippe Desrosiers stopped 42 shots through overtime and three more in the shootout to pick up his third shutout of the season for Rimouski (31-15-7). Zachary Fucale made 28 saves for Halifax (34-17-3) in the loss. Cheap Real Air Jordan 11 . Heck, we might just miss the BCS. Maybe? It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion. Air Jordan 11 Outlet . - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin has cleared league-mandated concussion protocol and has returned to practice as a full participant. NEW YORK -- Henrik Lundqvist already knows the joy of getting a lucrative contract extension. Who knew that one week later, a win at Madison Square Garden would bring the star goalie pure jubilation. When Lundqvist turned aside Mikael Backlund in the seventh round of the shootout Sunday night, he and the rest of the New York Rangers had a long-awaited 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames and an end to a four-game losing streak, all at home. Lundqvist, who stopped 18 shots through overtime, spread his arms and looked up to the ceiling as his teammates raced from the bench to meet him at the end of the 0-3-1 skid. "It was just a big relief to get two points," said Lundqvist, who earned just his second win since agreeing to a seven-year contract extension. "I had a chance to close it out twice and I didnt do it. Finally we ended the game." Benoit Pouliot scored the fourth goal of the Rangers first shootout of the season to give them their first win on a team-record, nine-game homestand. "I just had a feeling that if we dont win this one, Im not going to be a happy guy," Lundqvist said. "Its a big win for us. Right now, you have to look at it as taking baby steps in improving and start winning. You cant turn this around right away. "You start with one period, then two periods, then a game. Then you start feeling good about yourself." Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin scored to erase the Rangers early 2-0 deficit, and Chris Kreider made it 3-3 with 7:53 left in regulation as New York improved to 2-15 in games in which it allowed the first goal. "Thats a picture weve seen," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said about the early deficit. "We stuck with playing a pretty solid defensive game. We werent giving them much, and we spent a lot of time in their end. "We got a couple of goals and just kept plugging away." Rookie centre Sean Monahan gave Calgary a 3-2 lead at 4:44 of the third but the Flames couldnt stretch their winning streak to three. The 19-year-old Monahan chipped a shot from in close off a feed from behind the net from Curtis Glencross for his 10th goal and third in his last seven games. He missed seven games because of a broken foot, and returned to the lineup Saturday for the Flames win at Buffalo. Backlund and Glencross scored in the first period, Jiri Hudler had two assists, and Karri Ramo made 29 saves through overtime.dddddddddddd "It was a big battle all night," Ramo said. "Not happy about the goals I allowed. Sometimes you just have to take the point and move on. "We played good enough to win. They were a desperate team." The clubs played a frantic final few minutes of regulation when the Rangers were given power plays 40 seconds apart after Mike Cammalleri was sent off for roughing, and Ramo was called for delay of game when he whacked a rebound out of play. That advantage was short-circuited right when Cammalleris penalty ended when Kreider was given four minutes for high-sticking Chris Butler. The Rangers got it to overtime, with Calgary still having 2:04 left on its power play. "Thought wed get it done in overtime, but we couldnt execute on the power play," Flames captain Mark Giordano said. "Were not happy with the point. It should have been two. "If you get a power play in overtime, you should win." The Flames had won their first two since general manager Jay Feaster and assistant GM John Weisbrod were fired Thursday. New York tied it at 2 at 7:29 of the second on Hagelins sixth goal. Hagelin got to a rebound, swung around the net and stuffed a shot inside the right post. The Rangers again had a rough first period, but it was actually a better start than in their previous game -- holding the Flames to two goals. The Rangers trailed Columbus 3-0 in the opening frame on Thursday, and Lundqvist was chased from the net 11:10 into the 3-2 loss. Calgary got the quick jump when Backlund scored at 7:28, just five seconds into a power play after Kreider was sent off for interference. Backlund won a faceoff in the left circle and moved into the slot, where he deftly tipped in Hudlers shot for his fourth goal. The Flames made it 2-0 with 5:00 left in the period. Hudler weaved his way in close and made a short backhanded pass to Glencross, who used his own backhand to beat Lundqvist for his sixth goal. The announcement of Glencross goal was only halfway finished when Stepan brought a roar from the crowd with his sixth of the season 25 seconds later. It was Stepans first goal in 11 games. NOTES: Stepan earned his 100th NHL assist on Kreiders goal. ... Giordano played in his 400th NHL game. ... Calgarys previous four games were decided by 2-1 scores. ... The Rangers used seven defencemen and only 11 forwards in their lineup. ' ' '