Launching a missile is obviously a complex process. Omega-Pharma Quickstep could at least get some outside contractors to keep the breakaway in tow in the form of Orica-Greenedge who, with fast-man Matt Goss as well as Maillot Jaune Simon Gerrans on their team, had every reason to be looked to. Fresh from taking OPQS' scalps be a mere 3/4 of a second in the Team Time Trial the day before, they were obviously full of confidence and so did not shirk round their duties.
Energy saved then for the lead-out of Cavendish you would think. Perhaps not though, because the stage wasn't as straightforward as he might have hoped. The rolling terrain made for a difficult catch of the breakaway which meant Peter Velits, Sylvain Chavanel and Tony Martin - a trio who could have run Greenedge that close in the TTT by themselves - had to be deployed into the chase.
After clearing away the embers of rockets past, setting up the launch pad then fell to Matteo Trentin and the ever-present Gert Steegmans, who place Cavendish perfectly before he pressed to big red button and went. That is in past tense because, well, it happened yesterday; but also because when Mark Cavendish kicks out from an idyllic lead-out like that, the sprint may as well already be over.
The Manx Missile flew as André Greipel and Peter Sagan could only watch as the man in red, white and blue soared off towards the sun - taking Edvald Boassen-Hagen with him to mop up some more Green Jersey points. Save a thought for Matt Goss who was comparatively left in the dressing room putting on his space suit and was beyond nowhere to be seen, despite all his team's work earlier in the day. Well three stage wins in a row would have been greedy.
The ball is rolling. Let's see if that Missile gets painted green.
