When Mark Cavendish raised his arms in victory and crossed the finish line ahead of his rivals on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday, he joined the elite list of prolific Tour de France winners.
Cavendish's career total of 10 Tour stage wins - six stage wins in 2009 coupled with four in the 2008 Tour - means that his name is included in an exclusive roll call of all-time cycling greats.
To really appreciate how far Cavendish has come in such a short amount of time you only have to see the names of riders who also won 10 stages in their career - Henri Pelissier, Charly Gaul, Jan Raas and Walter Godefroot are all names etched into the Tour's long history. In two years, Cavendish has matched them.
Just two more Tour stage wins, to bring his total to 12, would mean Cavendish equals the likes of Miguel Indurain, Mario Cipollini, Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel.
In terms of total Tour stage wins, Cavendish still has a way to go to match that of Eddy Merckx, who won an astonishing 34 stages between 1969 and 1975 - of course, he also won the race five times along the way.
Cavendish also scores highly in terms of stage wins in one given Tour, only 13 riders have ever won six or more stages in one go - and only five riders have won more than six stages in one year. Freddy Maertens was the last rider to win eight stages, in 1976.
It's early days yet for Cavendish. He should have a long and successful career in front of him, giving him the opportunity to add his name to the very top of the Tour's roll of honour.
Record number of Tour de France wins (individual)
34 stage wins
Eddy Merckx (Belgium) 1969-1975
28 stage wins
Bernard Hinault (France) 1978-1986
25 stage wins
André Leducq (France) 1927-1938
22 stage wins
André Darrigade (France) 1953-1964
Lance Armstrong (USA) 1993-2005
20 stage wins
Nicolas Frantz (Luxembourg) 1924-1929
19 stage wins
François Faber (Luxembourg) 1908-1914
17 stage wins
Jean Alavoine (France) 1909-1923
16 stage wins
Charles Pelissier (France) 1929-1935
René Le Greves (France) 1933-1939
Jacques Anquetil (France) 1957-1964
15 stage wins
Freddy Maertens (Belgium) 1976-1981
13 stage wins
Philippe Thys (Belgium) 1913-1924
12 stage wins
Louis Trousselier (France) 1905-1910
Jean Aerts (Belgium) 1930-1935
Gino Bartali (Italy) 1937-1950
Miguel Indurain (Spain) 1989-1995
Mario Cipollini (Italy) 1993-1999
Erik Zabel (Germany) 1995-2002
Robbie McEwen (Australia) 1999-2007
11 stage wins
Louison Bobet (France) 1948-1955
Rafaele Di Paco (Italy) 1931-1935
10 stage wins
Henri Pelissier (France) 1913-1923
Antonin Magne (France) 1927-1938
Maurice Archambaud (France) 1933-1939
Charly Gaul (Luxembourg) 1955-1961
Walter Godefroot (Belgium) 1967-1975
Gerrie Knetemann (Netherlands) 1975-1982
Jan Raas (Netherlands) 1977-1984
Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) 2008-2009
Most stage wins in a single Tour
Eight stages
Freddy Maertens 1976
Eddy Merckx 1970 and 1974
Charles Pelissier 1930
Seven stages
Bernard Hinault 1979
Eddy Merckx 1969
Gino Bartali 1948
Six stages
Mark Cavendish 2009
Luis Ocana 1973
Eddy Merckx 1972
Rene Le Greves 1936
Andre Leducq 1932
Jean Aerts 1933
Marcel Buysse 1913
Francois Faber 1909
Emile Georget 1907
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS
Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.
STAGE REPORTS
Stage 21: Cavendish wins on Champs Elysees as Contador wins 2009 Tour
Stage 20: Contador's Tour lead safe; Wiggins retains fourth overall on Ventoux
Stage 19: Five star Cavendish wins Tour stage in to Aubenas
Stage 18: Contador tightens grip on the maillot jaune
Stage 17: Schleck brothers overhaul Wiggins as Frank wins the stage
Stage 16: Astarloza snatches Alps stage win as contenders wind up the pace
Stage 15: Contador wins in Verbier as Tour explodes into life
Stage 14: Ivanov wins as Nocentini clings onto yellow
Stage 13: Haussler braves rain for victory in Colmar
Stage 12: Sorensen wins in Vittel as Cavendish goes for green
Stage 11: Cavendish takes fourth win to equal Hoban's record
Stage 10: Cavendish spoils Bastille Day party to take third stage win
Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefire
stage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out
Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance
Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs
Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage
Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second
Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage
Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador
Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint
Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial
LATEST TOUR NEWS
Tour de France 2009 News Index>>
Armstrong admits he suffered in Tour's final time trial
Wiggins set for Ventoux showdown at the Tour
Radio Shack confirmed as Armstrong's new backer
Astana to split after Tour
Voigt crashes out of Tour
Armstrong fighting hard for Tour podium place
Wiggins gets closer to Tour podium place
Who's won what so far in the Tour de France
How the Tour favourite are doing (Rest day 2)
Wiggins climbs to third in Tour overall
Armstrong concedes he can't win the 2009 Tour
Tom Boonen quits the Tour de France
Stage 15 analysis: Is the Tour now over?
Columbia criticise Garmin for chasing Hincapie
Cavendish reveals he is going for green
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS
Mont Ventoux preview
Garmin-Slipstream's HQ before the Tour
David Zabriskie's time trial bike
Mark Cavendish on the Tour's team time trial
David Brailsford interview
Mark Cavendish on the Tour
Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS
Stage20 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 19 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 18 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 16 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones
Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson
Team presentation by Andy Jones
Team presentation by Graham Watson
TOUR GUIDE
Tour de France 2009 - the hub
Tour de France 2009: Who's riding
Tour de France 2009: Team guide
About the Tour de France
FEATURES
Tour de France 2009: Who will win?
Tour de France 2009 on TV: Eurosport and ITV4 schedules
Big names missing from 2009 Tour de France
Tour de France anti-doping measures explained
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish
Cycling Weekly's rider profiles
Follow the Tour on Cycling Weekly's Twitter feed
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