Cavendish is happy with what he has achieved in his career, too. If he does come back, it won’t all be for that record.
As he says in Never Enough, “the media started that, and all of a sudden that’s all I’m going for”.
But where he has been will always inform whatever the next chapter of his life holds.
Cavendish says it was “important” he was open in the documentary.
“It’s hard to feel anyone can relate to how you’re feeling,” he says. “It was important to lay myself so open to show that to anybody who could be affected [in a similar way].”
As he processes what he has said, he jokes: “It sounds like one of those warnings.”
But Never Enough really delves into a period in Cavendish’s life which was a far bigger test than any furious dash to the line on the bike.
Eight years and several victories into his glittering road cycling career, the 2016 Cavendish won four stages at the Tour for Dimension Data, before his mental health – and the team cohesion – began to spiral out of control.
The clandestine Epstein Barr virus – a terrible fatiguing condition for an endurance athlete to suffer – preceded several crashes, most notably a huge somersault after colliding with a traffic island in Italy.
It got to the point where he wasn’t racing. He was just riding a bike. After losing his form, he over-trained and avoided eating correctly.
Nothing worked, and eventually the depression affected his family life.
“The key point is to show positivity towards where you can go. I never, ever want to deal what I’ve dealt with again. And I never want anybody to have to deal with these things.
“It’s not about feeling sorry. I don’t feel sorry for myself – I’m very fortunate to have the life I have. But more fortunate to have the people around me that I have, and that’s knowing I’ve had that support network, and that support network is a massive crutch and a massive safety blanket I guess.
“You never get ‘better’,” he says. “But if you can see positives and not look back… that’s definitely the driving force to live the happiest life you can.”
Cavendish sought help, and is better for it. Far better.
After proclaiming through tears at the end of a race in Belgium in 2020 that he had “probably” taken part in his last event, he was picked up by his old Quick Step team – run by the equally forthright, but warm and charismatic, Patrick Lefevere.
