The withdrawal of team-mate Tom Boonen, after the Belgian’s wife sadly suffered a miscarriage, means Mark Cavendish is likely to assume full control of Omega Pharma-Quickstep on Sunday.

fter a slow start to the season, Cavendish burst into life on stage six of Tirreno-Adriatico as the Belgian super team’s sprint train obliterated their rivals in the final kilometres.

Cavendish’s thoughts immediately turned to La Primavera, with confidence flowing after the team were able to cope with Cannondale’s furious pace in the bunch before clicking into gear to deliver a technically perfect lead-out.

While only his second victory of the season, it was nevertheless a comprehensive victory and a statement of intent by the Manx Missile and his team-mates. Cavendish proved in 2009 that he can handle the lumpy finale to the race and if the 2014 edition ends in a bunch sprint he will be favourite to add a second title to his palmares.