Mark Renshaw leading out Mark Cavendish in Harrogate

Reunited after two years apart, Australian Mark Renshaw will be back at Mark Cavendish’s side this year having joined Omega Pharma-Quickstep for 2014. The Aussie ace led Cavendish to some of his most notable career victories as the well-oiled HTC lead-out train proved almost unstoppable at its peak. Now Cavendish has one big goal remaining – adding the maillot jaune to a jersey collection which already features all three Grand Tour sprinter’s jerseys, race leader’s jerseys from the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, the 2011 world champion’s jersey and last year’s British champion’s jersey.

And Cavendish is unlikely to have a better opportunity to do earn the maillot jaune than in Harrogate, his mother’s hometown, when the Tour de France rolls out in Yorkshire this summer. His bid for stage one victory at last year’s Tour ended in chaos on Corsica, but the Manx Missile is determined not to be denied again. And with Renshaw at his side, as well, potentially, as Gert Steegmans and Italian legend Alessandro Petacchi, expect fireworks in Harrogate.