Team Sky claim first-ever Tour success

Edvald Boasson Hagen claimed Team Sky's first Tour de France stage success in torrential rain in Normandy.

Another punishing day in the saddle saw the riders take on the 2011 Tour's longest stage, the 226.5-kilometres from Dinan to Lisieux.
And Norwegian Boasson Hagen accelerated off the wheel of team-mate Geraint Thomas to triumph ahead of HTC-Highroad's Matt Goss and Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo), who retained the race leader's yellow jersey.
"I felt really good today [Thursday] and I'm so please to win the sprint," said a delighted Boasson Hagen. "Geraint Thomas did a great lead out and it's just fantastic it's all worked out."It's hard to describe the emotions, I'm just so happy. To get my first stage at the Tour de France is so special."
A five-man break - featuring Anthony Roux (FDJ), Leonardo Duque (Cofidis), Adriano Malori (Lampre-ISD), Johnny Hoogerland and Lieuwe Westra (both Vacansoleil) - began after 5km and established a lead of more than 11 minutes at one point.
The deficit was reduced by the sprinters' teams as the intermediate sprint approached and Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) led the peloton over the line in sixth place behind the breakaway.
Out in front, Westra attacked again and was followed by Malori as those previously alongside them in the escape fell back into the pack.
The peloton hunted down the duo, but the relentless pace on undulating terrain was too much for some and Westra ended his bid with 18km left as Malori was left to plough along alone up front with a slender advantage.
As the rain fell, making the roads slick for the closing stages, Roux attacked, but he was unsuccessful in his attempt to bridge the gap to Malori.
BMC Racing and Omega Pharma-Lotto, as in previous days, led the bunch into the final stages and Malori was finally caught with 2.6km and a steep ascent through Lisieux to come.
HTC-Highroad pushed to the front, with Goss on the third wheel and Alberto Contador attempted to follow Jelle Vanendert's move.
Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) overtook the Belgian with 2km to go, but the peloton remained within striking distance as the duo forged forward to the brown of the hill.
Garmin-Cervelo's David Millar led the hunt for the duo, with Cadel Evans, Thomas and Boasson Hagen also to the fore.
Thomas led out Boasson Hagen, who powered to the line, holding off the charge of Goss, Hushovd and the remainder of the peloton for the biggest win of his career so far.
Leading final positions after Stage 6 (Dinan - Lisieux, 226km): 1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 5hrs 13mins 37secs, 2 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad, 3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo, 4 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, 5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team, 6 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ, 7 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto, 8 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team, 9 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, 10 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ, 11 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek, 12 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team, 13 Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, 14 Sebastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale, 15 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Team RadioShack, 16 Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Sky Procycling, 17 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, 18 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, 19 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar, 20 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Leopard Trek all at same time
Selected others: 47 David Millar (Gbr) Team Garmin-Cervelo 5hrs 13mins 37secs, 56 Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Sky Procycling at same time, 101 Mark Cavendish (Gbr) HTC-Highroad at 1min 44secs, 106 Ben Swift (Gbr) Sky Procycling at same time
General classification after Stage 6: 1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo 22hrs 50mins 34secs, 2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team at 0.01, 3 Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek at 0.04, 4 David Millar (Gbr) Team Garmin-Cervelo at 0.08, 5 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Team RadioShack at 0.10, 6 Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Sky Procycling at same time, 7 Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Sky Procycling at 0.12, 8 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling at same time, 9 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek at same time, 10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek at same time, 11 Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad at 0.13, 12 Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad at same time, 13 Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack at 0.18, 14 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team at 0.20, 15 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana at 0.32, 16 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 0.33, 17 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 0.39, 18 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team at 0.40, 19 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar at 0.58, 20 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 1.03
Selected others: 62 Ben Swift (Gbr) Sky Procycling at 3mins 50secs, 80 Mark Cavendish (Gbr) HTC-Highroad at 6.06