Chateauroux (France), Jul 1 (IANS): British cyclist Mark Cavendish, who won the Stage 4 on Tuesday, clinched Stage 6 of Tour de France as he took his tally of stage victories to 32 which is two short of the all-time record of 34 by former Belgian cyclist Eddie Merckx.

This is his third stage win in Chateauroux, where he had previously won in 2008 and 2011.

Cavendish, 36, beat Belgian Jasper Philipsen and Frenchamn Nacer Bouhanni on the line just like he had done in Fougères in Stage 4.

Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands retained the yellow jersey.

"It seems like every time we came here it was different. Ten years since I last won here. Pretty special and in pretty similar fashion," said Cavendish later.

"I am not thinking about anything, I just won a stage of the Tour de France. It doesn't matter if it's the first or the 32nd. That's what people work their whole lives for," said the cyclist when asked about Merckx's record.

Stage 6 results (top 5):

1. Mark Cavendish (Great Britain/Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 3hrs 17mins 36secs

2. Jasper Philipsen (Belgium/Alpecin-Fenix)

3. Nacer Bouhanni (France/Arkea Samsic)

4. Arnaud Demare (France/Groupama - FDJ)

5. Peter Sagan (Slovakia/Bora-Hansgrohe)

Overall leaders after Stage 6 (top 5)

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands/Alpecin-Fenix) 20hrs 09mins 17secs

2. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia/UAE Team Emirates) +8secs

3. Wout van Aert (Belgium/Jumbo-Visma) +30secs

4. Julian Alaphilippe (France/Deceuninck-QuickStep) +48secs

5. Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan/Astana) +1min 21secs