The Manx Missile also closed in on the all-time stage wins record following a bunch sprint in which he timed his run perfectly to dart out from behind world champion Peter Sagan with 100 metres to go at the end of the 188km run from Mont Saint-Michel.

“It’s phenomenal. It was my third opportunity, and my first without bad luck. I don’t know what to say. We wanted this. The yellow jersey is iconic,” said Cavendish, who is competing in his 10th Tour.

It was the 31-year-old Briton’s 27th stage win since 2008, putting him just one win behind second-placed Bernard Hinault in the all-time list, where Belgian legend Eddy Merckx remains out in front on 34 victories. It was also the first time South African team Dimension Data have had a rider in yellow.

Marcel Kittel took second with Sagan third on a stage that finished at the site of the one of the World War II D-Day landings 70 years ago.

“It’s quite emotional, it’s been the only kind of jersey I hadn’t worn that I could,” added Cavendish, a former world champion, green jersey winner and leader of the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana.

But the escapees were finally gobbled up 4.5km from the line, setting up the hectic bunch sprint.

In terms of the General Classification, defending champion Chris Froome was 25th, alongside chief rival Nairo Quintana, nine seconds ahead of Fabio Aru and Richie Porte but with Alberto Contador 32 seconds back after his crash.

Sunday’s hilly 183km stage to Cherbourg features the first uphill finish of the race.