“When I first started, winning was a bonus, you know? Now anything but a win is a loss. That’s how things have changed. I no longer win races, I lose races and that really changes not just my perception of things but the team’s perception of things”

Asked to articulate the difference in mindset between his first and one hundredth wins, Cavendish offered a moment of genuine insight into the expectations that have built up around him since his maiden win as a raw 21-year-old in at Scheldeprijs in 2007.