Cavendish and Crutchlow both live in the same area in Tuscany, Quarrata, and the Manxman told reporters in Abu Dhabi about their special bond and how the British motorcyclist has changed since the arrival of his daughter Willow last August.

“He’s my best friend, one of a few people who is in a similar situation to me so he can understand when things are good or when things are bad. He’s a massive cyclist. For me, he could be a professional. In the winter when he trains, okay he’s not going to win a Tour de France stage, but he’s better than a lot of the professionals around today,” said Cavendish of Crutchlow.

“He seems to have the same kind of chip on his shoulder that I have, always having to prove himself. It’s nice, he has a little girl Willow this year, and something’s changed. He was crazy but he seems to have calmed down a little bit since having a little girl and you can see it in his results. He’s had two wins this year. The first British rider to win a MotoGP in 30 years and now he’s won two in a season. He’s made history.”

Cavendish and Crutchlow train a lot together over the winter and the sprinter admits it often gets intense.

“The only thing I have to ask him is to calm the f*** down when we’re training, he gets a bit carried away. Cal’s life, everything Cal does is full gas, and when he goes training it’s full gas, that’s it,” said Cavendish.