Cavendish becomes World Champion

Cav crosses the line as the 2011 World Champion.

Mark Cavendish capped a phenomenal year by becoming the first British man for 46 years to win the World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. Not since Tom Simpson in 1965 has a Brit stood on the top step of the world road race podium, but once he got in front, he ably held off Austrailian HTC teammate Matt Goss, and former teammate Andre Greipel from Germany.

Since the course was announced the British team had targeted the win, with Cav’ as the man to deliver. An extraordinary amount of pressure to put on a man who whilst undoubtedly the fastest finisher in the world, was without the usual HTC Highroad team lead-out train that had served him so well in his career so far.

Throughout the season Cavendish’s British teammates were out collecting the required amount of points in order to send the strongest team possible. Despite the early breakaway, Team GB dominated, dictated and delivered the Manx Missile to the finish and once in position, there was little doubt what the outcome would be.

The Green Jersey winner from the Tour de France

Despite the fact that in the cycling world, on the continent especially, Cavendish is a superstar, the Jonny Wilkinson or David Beckham of cycling, he was quick as always to praise his team. Bradley Wiggins in particular, fresh from his third in the Vuelta a Espana and a sensational silver in the individual time trial earlier in the week, was a man possessed in bringing the breakaway back to the main peloton, before ceding to his now fresher teammates, Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas in particular to set up the rider from the Isle of Man.

Still only 26 years old the world really is at his feet now. His twenty stage wins at the Tour de France place him sixth on the all time list, just behind seven time winner Lance Armstrong. Yet to confirm which team he will race for, after the failure of HTC to find a sponsor left him free to join a new outfit, Team Sky have looked the favourites to sign the current Green Sprint Jersey holder from this years tour, and one of the few to be able to offer him the salary he deserves.

The Rainbow Jersey belongs to a Brit for the first time in 46 years.

Barring an England rugby World Cup win, Cav surely is a nailed on cert for Sports Personality of the Year, and a never a more deserving candidate indeed. He will now be able to wear the much coveted 'Rainbow Jersey' worn with distinction by Thor Hushovd this year.

The one remaining target now is the London Olympic gold medal. After his huge disappointment of 2008 where he was the only track cyclist to return without a medal after he and Wiggins could only finish ninth few would bet against another medal adorning the walls of the Cavendish household.