So where does it all leave us? Chief on the agenda are the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, with Peter Sagan (Cannondale) appearing to be the form rider.

Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) was desperately unlucky to be caught behind a crash at E3 Harelbeke, though, and emerged with great credit for his spirited chase. Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), meanwhile, suffered a family tragedy on the eve of Milan-San Remo which has set him back, but he too will be hopeful of being back to full fitness come Sunday.

British fans have been denied one of their in-form riders following Ian Stannard’s fractured vertebra, which has ruled the former national champion out of the rest of the cobbled Classics season, but Geraint Thomas showed he is in top form at E3 Harelbeke while Sir Bradley Wiggins has geared his early season preparations towards Paris-Roubaix.

As for stage races, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) defends his Tour of the Basque Country title this month, where victory could – dependent on other results – mean he enters the Giro d’Italia as world number one.

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) will be among the riders bidding to prevent that, and given his previous success in the WorldTour rankings, it would perhaps be fitting if Purito took that honour instead.

However, with just three months down and some of the biggest riders still yet to show their hands, there are undoubtedly plenty of twists and turns to come.

It is, after all, a marathon and not a sprint.