Despite being the two finest sprinters in the peloton, full-gas, high-octane, wheel-to-wheel sprints between Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel were surprisingly few and far between last year.

Cavendish’s crash on stage one at the Tour de France denied any head-to-head there and continued the trend for the two failing to reach the finish line together for a bunch sprint in a race they both started.

And while Kittel triumphed twice at the Tour of Britain, it was a battered and bruised Cavendish he was up against, rather a man in top form.

Kittel has had Cavendish’s card marked over the past season or so, but the Manx Missile will start the season chomping at the bit.

With a time trial opening proceedings at the Tour de France in Utrecht this year, Cavendish’s wait for the maillot jaune is likely to go on, but there is still plenty to play for in the sprinting stakes.

Cavendish and Kittel going wheel-to-wheel will be a sight not to be missed, particularly if they can avoid injury and bad luck to take each other on in July.