Cavendish sprinted to victory to become the first Brit to win the Milano-Torino.
Cavendish rode to the front of the pack in the final hundred metres at the end of a mostly flat 199km race. Making the 36-year-old the oldest winner of the oldest race on the international calendar, first held in 1876.
Nacer Bouhanni finished second, while Alexander Kristoff came third.
Cavendish, who claimed his 159th career win, crossed the finish line in a time of four hours and 31 minutes and 22 seconds.
After winning the race from Magenta to Rivoli, Cavendish said, “I’m particularly happy. This is the perfect team for a one-day race, We never panicked. My team mates did a solid race for me. This is just incredible the way they’ve led me out.”
It was Cavendish’s third win this year, and his first on European soil.
He added: “I like to win any race. I’ve already won Milan-Sanremo. So now I have won Milano-Torino as well.
“It’s not always a race for sprinters, so I’m happy to have my name on the same record book as some great climbers.”
