Mark Cavendish has lost the overall lead on the Tour of Turkey to Davide Rebellin after today's third stage.

The 'Manxman', who has a property in Ongar, had won the first two stages but was beaten in the mountain stage by CCC Sprandi Polkowice's Rebellin.

Forty-three-year-old Italian Rebellin out-sprinted Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida) on a steep final climb to the finish in Elmali to clinch his first victory of the season and send Cavendish tumbling down the overall classification.

Cavendish dropped early on, with sections of the ascent at a 13 per cent gradient, in the hope of saving his legs for the sprint stages later on.