After all the hype surrounding Sir Bradley Wiggins’ Paris-Roubaix bid to end his Team Sky career, it seems to have been passed over that the defending Tour champion has also proved himself on the cobbles.

Vincenzo Nibali was at it again on stage four, coming to the front on several sections to turn the screw on his rivals – who, it must be said, responded excellently.

Wiggins was unable to join the pantheon of 14 greats, who have won both the Tour and Paris-Roubaix, but who’s to say Nibali couldn’t?

The Shark certainly has the bike handling skills and the fearless, attacking endeavour required to succeed on them.

It would have to be when his GC ambitions for the Tour or Giro are on the back-burner – his notoriously slow start to the last two campaigns proving that – but it’s certainly doable.

Another rider to impress, who may want to consider giving it a go in future, was Mark Cavendish – who led the way over the early <i>secteurs</i> for Etixx-QuickStep and spent much of the race towards the front.

In a team packed with cobbled specialists, Cavendish is unlikely to get the opportunity while with Etixx-QuickStep but it does not look beyond his capabilities if the winter does result in a change of teams.

In the mean-time, however, both men have proved they have the form – Cavendish will have ample opportunity to rack up the stage wins over the following days now.