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Team Columbia's Mark Cavendish became the first British winner of Milan-Sanremo in 55 years, after a thrilling sprint finish.

On his first start in the Classica di Primavera, the 23-year-old Manxman chased down Cervelo's Heinrich Haussler over the final 200 metres before edging his front wheel across the finish line ahead of the German.

Haussler's team-mate Thor Hushovd led home the rest of the pack 20 metres back in third, with Allan Davis and home favourite Alessandro Petacchi fourth and fifth respectively.

Many had predicted that the punishing 294-kilometre course, with its numerous leg-sapping hills close the the Italian Riviera, would see Cavendish distanced before the long finishing straight.

But despite a punishing tempo throughout, the Columbia rider looked strong and fresh throughout.

Indeed it had been the tempo's fast pace that had ensured the day's breakaway group never gained more than six minutes on a determined peloton.

With 26 kilometres to go, and at the foot of the Cipressa, the final escapees Sebastien Turgot (Bouygues Telecom), Yuriy Krivtsov (ag2r) and Kasper Klostergaard (Saxo Bank) were reeled in, before a big dig from Tirreno-Adriatico winner Michele Scarponi saw the likes of Lance Armstrong and Robbie McEwen spat out at the back of the pack.

Favourites Tom Boonen and Petacchi struggled over within sight of the lead group, and took advantage of the descent to work themselves back into the reckoning.

Diquigiovanni's Davide Rebellin tried his luck as expected on the Poggio, hotly pursued by four other would-be escapees - including Stefano Garzelli - though the 10 seconds of time they gained was never going to be enough of a cushion to hold off the sprinters' teams after the road into picturesque Sanremo flattened out.

Cavendish took the Poggio with consummate ease, while Thomas Lovkvist and George Hincapie towed him to the front as the kilometres ticked down.

On the inevitable sprint, with the big guns winding themselves up in the centre, Haussler shot clear on the left hand side along the barriers, prompting Cavendish to bury himself perhaps earlier than he would have expected.

With 200 metres to go, it seemed Haussler had the race sewn up, such was his lead over Cavendish, with the likes of Hushovd, Boonen and Petacchi already out of the reckoning.

But Cavendish showed all the speed that saw him dominate the sprints in the Tour de France last year, eating up the ground on Haussler, and edging ahead of his rival just centimetres from the line.

A photo-finish confirmed Cavendish as the winner and he coasted open-mouthed, arms aloft to his team soigneurs.

Eurosport