Last year it took Cavendish five stages to put his mark on the Tour; this year the 24-year-old has done so at the first occasion possible.
With five Tour victories to his name - and now a maiden green jersey - Cav will probably overtake Barry Hoban's British record of eight wins by the end of the week.
His detractors will still complain about his withdrawal from last year's race; they will slate his no-show in Saturday's prologue (in which he finished fourth-last); they will say he can only deliver when it's set up for him on a plate.
But cycling has always been about teamwork - and trains have been central to the careers of top sprinters for years now: ask Mario Cipollini or Alessandro Petacchi.
Columbia rode a perfect finale on Sunday. They were the sole team with nine men working to reel in the breakaway. Tony Martin brought Cav to 1km to go before passing the baton to Big George Hincapie and then, finally, Mark Renshaw - engines whom Cav rightly calls "the best in the business".
Cavendish wasn't lucky to avoid the crash on the final bend. He was unaffected because his team were already so far ahead.
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