Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne success in March this year took Mark Cavendish’s career tally to 125 professional wins on the road – no other British rider has more than 41.

He has since passed 130, and added his 133rd at the Tour de France – with 44 of those having come in Grand Tours.

That places him fourth on the all-time list of Grand Tour stage wins and the Manx Missile is also one of only five men to have topped the points classifications at all three Grand Tours.

Milan-San Remo winner in 2009, Cavendish also claimed the world road race title in 2011 – only the second British man, after Tom Simpson, to do so.

He has also enjoyed success on the track, twice taking the Madison world title in 2005 (with Rob Hayles) and 2008 (with Wiggins); earning Commonwealth Games gold for the Isle of Man in the Scratch Race in 2006 and most recently enjoying Six Days of Zurich victory with Iljo Keisse.

Still only 30, Cavendish’s powerful sprint has made him one of the most feared fast men in the professional peloton on the road, not least at the peak of his powers when his HTC-HighRoad team obliterated their rivals through 2011.

That year, which was crowned by his world championship success, also included two Giro d’Italia triumphs and five wins – and the green jersey – at the Tour de France, bringing him the Sports Personality of the Year title.

After an injury-ravaged 2014 season, Cavendish bounced back strong at the start of this year – his general classification win at the Dubai Tour arriving thanks to two stage wins.

Finest moment: After a hugely memorable year, which included five Tour de France stage wins and the green jersey, Cavendish then lined up with his Great Britain team-mates – after already taking victory in the Olympic test event, the London Surrey Cycle Classic, alongside them – at the World Championships. The British team controlled the peloton throughout the race and Cavendish rewarded their efforts by outsprinting HTC team-mate Matt Goss to claim the rainbow jersey.