AUSTRALIAN Robbie McEwen won his 12th Tour de France stage after an electrifying sprint finish at Canterbury on Sunday.

McEwen, who also holds a British passport, climbed back on his bike after a crash and was assisted back to the bunch by five team-mates.

They were rewarded when their team leader out-sprinted Norway's Thor Hushovd and Belgium's Tom Boonen.

The early stages of the race were lit up by an attack from Britain's David Millar, who won the intermediate sprints at Gillingham and Teston and was also first to the top of Quarry Hill at Tonbridge.

When Millar came third on the climb up Farthing Common that did enough to insure him the King of the Mountains jersey.

But the breakaways were reeled in shortly afterwards on Stone Street by a bunch missing Britain's Mark Cavendish, who was the victim of a crash and had to change bikes. Cavendish eventually finished in a group of three several minutes behind the main field.

McEwen wears the green sprinter's jersey, while Vladimir Gusev keeps the white jersey for the best young rider.

Stephane Auge was named the day's most aggressive rider by a panel of mostly French judges.

* SEE THIS FRIDAY'S KENT MESSENGER FOR A 24-PAGE SPECIAL REPORT ON THE TOUR DE FRANCE.