Mark Cavendish won a stage of the Tour de France for the second time in four days as he underlined his status as the fastest finisher in cycling.

Cavendish, 23, was given a fine slingshot by Team Columbia team-mate Gerald Ciolek, and the duo leapfrogged Jimmy Casper of Agritubel in the final 30 metres to win a wet eighth stage from Figeac to Toulouse.

It was a picture perfect day for the American team, who kept Kim Kirchen in the yellow jersey, preserving his six-second lead over Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto in the general classement as the riders prepare to hit the punishing peaks of the Pyrenees from Sunday.

Jerome Pineau, of the Bouyges Telecom squad, broke away with the Basque rider Arrets Txurruka after the initial categorised climbs, but they were swallowed by the peloton as the riders entered the final three kilometres.

David de la Fuente ensured he will wear the polka dot jersey when the Tour leaves Toulouse for the hautes-montagnes.

The Saunier Duval climber was first over the Cote de Loupiac, and followed solo escapee Laurent Lefevre over the Cote de Macarou.

Cavendish's win means he is the first British rider to win two stages in the same Tour for a quarter of a century.

In 1973, another famed British sprinter, Barry Hoban, won at Argeles-sur-Mer and Versailles.

"It was brilliant," Cavendish told Eurosport afterwards. "Once again you can see how well my team performed.

"They nursed be back after I dropped off the back on the third category climb.

"They controlled the day, brought in the breakaway and then led me out excellently.

"The flat run-in was ideally suited for us, and you can see how well Gerard did to lead me out because he took second.

"To hold on to the yellow jersey and to get both first and second in the stage, it can't really get any better, can it?

"I didn't feel great yesterday, but it was probably the last realistic sprint chance for me (today).

"I might have a chance on stage 12 (Lavelanet to Narbonne), but a breakaway could succeed there."

Cavendish was also bullish about his chances of riding all the way through to Paris, instead than retiring during the Tour in order to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.

"I'll go right through to Paris the way I'm feeling. I'm not done yet."

There was movement in the points race, with Oscar Freire drawing level on 119 points with Kirchen and wearing the green jersey by right.

Cavendish's win moved him up to 86 points and sixth in the race for the maillot vert.

Britain's David Millar was able to recover from a puncture and not lose any time on Kirchen in the race for yellow.

Millar lies seventh overall, one minute and 14 seconds back on the maillot jaune.

The real shake-up in the general classification is expected to start in the mountains.

On Sunday, the riders will contend with the Col d'Aspin and the Col de Peyresourde on the way to Bagneres de Bigorre, while Monday brings the foreboding climbs up the Col du Tourmalet and summit finish at Hautacam.

The race organisers will be keen to avoid any repeats of the doping charges that emerged on Friday against Manuel Beltran.

The Liquigas rider produced a positive test for the banned substance EPO, for the opening stage of the race from Brest to Plumelec last Saturday.

Leading final positons after Stage 8 (Figeac - Toulouse, 172.5km): 1 Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Team Columbia

4hrs 02mins 54secs, 2 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Columbia at same time, 3 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Agritubel at same time, 4 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank at same time, 5 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner at same time, 6 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram at same time, 7 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step at same time, 8 Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) Francaise des Jeux at same time, 9 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole at same time, 10 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld at same time, 11 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel at same time, 12 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole at same time, 13 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi at same time, 14 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi at same time, 15 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas at same time, 16 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner at same time, 17 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Silence - Lotto at same time , 18 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Credit par Telephone at same time, 19 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 at same time, 20 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at same time

Selected Others: 118 David Millar (Gbr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 4hrs 02mins 54secs, 138 Christopher Froome (Gbr) Barloworld at same time

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