After losing two sprints in a row to Fernando Gaviria in Argentina last month, many were claiming Mark Cavendish’s days as a top sprinter were over. They have spoken too soon, after he won the final stage at the Tour de San Luis and then winning his next race, stage one at the Dubai Tour.

“I’m happy with where I am in January, but I say that every January,” he told Rouleur.

His first big goal is Milan-Sanremo, where he won in 2009. He fooled people into thinking he couldn’t climb well at the 200 Tirreno-Adriatico, but now they all know he can climb comfortably in the 300km Classic. Cavendish himself acknowledged that he has lost some power, “but I can climb with a group of 50 now, which I couldn’t when I was younger.”

This is a big year for the Brit, as he has to prove he can still win big races in order to have his contract at Etixx-QuickStep renewed, which he says is a new experience for him. He says he is completely content to remain at the Belgian team for the future.

“I am on contract year for the first time in my career, really,” Cavendish replies. “I want to stay here, so I want to do well for team this year. I love it. It’s the same felling I had after a couple of years at HTC when it became family. That’s how I feel. You never want to go away from home, but it is a pleasure to be away from home with these riders and staff.”