Even though there was a lot of rumors claiming the end of Mark Cavendish’s supremacy, rolling through the media connected with cycling after his rather disappointing campaign during the Tour the Trance 100th edition, the British rider remains relaxed and optimistic ahead of the new season, believing, that he is in the best possible position that a sprinter could ever be.

While making any recapitulation of a season, for a sprinter it always comes down to particular numbers. Claiming 20 victories throughout one year, including respectable 5 stages won at the Giro d’Italia, 3 at the Tour the France, and with an overall victory in the points classification at the Italian Grand Tour sounds rather impressive, but if you were Mark Cavendish, every single defeat is what the public opinion would recall afterwards. And certainly the precious la Grande Boucle final stage at the Champes Elysees lost to Marcel Kittel had to leave its mark.

Still, British sprinter claims, that considering all the circumstances regarding to starting everything from scratch in the new team – 2013 season was the first one at the Omega Pharma-Quick Step for Cavendish, and especially tweaking his new lead-out train, he is satisfied with his most recent achievements.

“I’m really happy. I won five stages at the Giro d’Italia last year, the red jersey, I won twenty races, from every month from January until September, apart from in April when I took a break. I was joining a new team but we had a leadout train dialled in within seven months and that’s pretty phenomenal, as it normally takes three years to do that. Then to finish that off there at the Tour of Britain to win three stages, I was super happy with my year. It was successful for me and the team. We won one out of every five stages at the Tour and people tend to forget that. For me Omega Pharma QuickStep is super strong and the best place for me. I’m looking forward to 2014,” Cavendish told in the interview during OPQS training camp in Calpe

Putting all the good publicity aside, Cavendish is very aware that years of his undisputable supremacy might be just over, as the new generation of sprinters has arrived and started to flourish in the professional peloton, what was only emphasized by remarkable four victories taken away from the Manxman at the 2013 Tour the France,by Marcel Kittel of Argos-Shimano. His new rivals are stronger, more athletic, possibly even faster and supported by highly specialized lead-out trains. This forced Cavendish and Omega Pharma-Quick Step to make some special efforts ahead of the 2014 season, to guarantee it won’t be less successful than a previous one.

“The guys I’m sprinting against are big strong guys,” he told Cyclingnews.com

“I’m really the only one left at being successful from the fast guys. Everyone is now big and strong, bikes are more aerodynamic, people are wearing skinsuits and we’re going at higher top speeds. I’ve worked at being stronger and I’ve been in the gym for really the first time in my life, and doing weights.”

 “We want to be successful in the Classics with Tom, successful in all the smaller races that we’ve done well in before, and then the reason I’ve been brought to the team is to win stages in the grand tours. We want success throughout the year, and as much as possible.”

Apart from some rather minor differences in the Cavendish’s physical preparation, more significant steps have been undertaken by Patrick Lefevere to secure his position as the most successful sprinter of the coming season, including the most hauled transfer of the winter: reuniting powerful Manxman with his infallible lead-out man, Mark Renshaw.

The winning formula, discovered and finessed at HCT, and now enriched by an arrival of highly experienced and cunning Alessandro Petacchi from Lampre-Merida in the middle of last season, makes Cavendish feeling highly motivated and secure ahead of his second season at the Belgian team. British cyclist believes, that he is extremely lucky and found himself in the best position that a sprinter could possibly be.

“I’m in the best position here. I’m incredibly lucky that the team has put the financial commitment into signing me and secondly putting the confidence in to sign, for me, the two best leadout men in Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Renshaw. I can sit here and definitely say that I’m the luckiest sprinter in professional cycling.”

Petacchi joined mid-way through 2013, initially quitting Lampre due to a lack of motivation before Patrick Lefevere signed him on an 18 month deal. Renshaw’s arrival could be seen as the completion of the puzzle and the cherry on the cake in terms of leadouts.

“I’m super excited and now he’s back from being Lars Boom’s leadout man,” Cavendish said in reference to Renshaw’s time at Rabobank and Belkin.

“It makes me incredibly happy. He’s a great guy, a great friend of mine and we had a lot of successful times. I’m looking forward to a successful year.”

Even though Cavendish is again, after a short episode at Team Sky where he was forced to play a role of a secondary importance, relaxed and certain about having a team that would fully support him in achieving his major goals, the arrival of Rigoberto Uran had to raise some questions. The Manxman appeared to be reluctant to answer questions about his relations with the Colombian climber, praising him for his most recent Grand Tour performances and sharing the belief, that Omega Pharma – Quick step is strong enough in numbers to build versatile rosters supportive in both sprints and GC battles.

 “I rode with Rigoberto at Sky and he’s a great guy. He’s fitted in well and we’ll see. He was second in the Giro and he’s showed he can ride well in the tours and in the Ardennes, which we’ve missed out on in the last couple of years.”

“I don’t know what’s happening and I’m not a sports director. All I know is that I can go in be in my best condition for July. We’re in the fortunate position that we enough guys to go into the Tour de France with so many combinations of riders that can be successful. I think that’s a luxury position to be in.”