Mark Renshaw can’t keep the excitement out of his eyes. The Australian most famous for leading another Mark – British cycling star Mark Cavendish – to victory in multiple sprint finishes at big races is about to do it all again. Or at least try.

On the day we lunch in dazzling winter sunshine on Sydney Harbour, the deal is yet to be announced. But the bottom line is this: Renshaw – also notorious for getting thrown out of the Tour de France in 2010 – is set to head back to the world’s biggest cycling race for the 110th edition.