‘Mark Cavendish is by far Britain’s greatest bike rider’ – Philippa York on the Manxman’s final Tour de France

When Mark Cavendish leaves Piazza della Signoria, Florence at midday on Saturday, he’ll be starting the fifteenth Tour de France of his long and spectacular career. If all goes well, twenty-one stages later he will be in Place Masséna, Nice atop a Wilier SLR time trial bike and completing his final Tour stage.

During the three weeks of racing on the roads of four different countries – Italy, San Marino, Monaco and France – he has eight chances to win a stage. Eight days when the organisers ASO have deemed the profile to be flat and suited to sprinting, Mark Cavendish’s trade at this race since 2007.