DIMENSION Data officials are yet to name their rider line up for this year's edition of the Tour de France, but Mark Renshaw's team-mates certainly think he would be an asset if selected.
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While the Bathurst talent is now one of the older riders on the roster of the Dimension Data team at 36, his skills as a lead out man in sprint stages are still highly valued.
As the speed - and risk factors - increase in the concluding kilometre of a stage and the peloton jostles to promote the quick men, Renshaw's job is to protect his team's lead sprinter and guide them into a position from which they can launch.
His skills have set up countless stage wins over the years since he joined the professional scene in 2005, including helping team-mate Mark Cavendish into both the green and yellow jerseys at the Tour de France.
"Pretty early on in my career I realised that if you're not one of those guys that wins five or six times a year, then you need to be someone who helps," Renshaw said.
"I'm happy when a team-mate a wins, pretty much since my third year professional that has been my goal."
Last month in the Giro d'Italia - one of professional cycling's three GrandTour events - Renshaw worked to set up team-mates Ryan Gibbons and Giacomo Nizzolo.
He's been the most successful lead out men of all time most likely.
- Ryan Gibbons on Mark Renshaw
They appreciated his skills.
"As a sprinter it's really seldom that you can go for more than 20 seconds, so you kind of need someone who can put you in a good position," Gibbons said.
"In that final sprint everything is on the line, it's physically you are at your limits. You have blood in the back of your throat, there's fans, there's shouting, there's noise, there's barriers.
"It's a great then if you have a lead out man you can trust.
"He's been the most successful lead out men of all time most likely and to have his wealth of knowledge and experience here, it's actually incredible."
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"He's the guy who is able to bring you into the bunch without spending so much," Nizzolo added.
Should Renshaw be included in Dimension Data's squad for this year's Le Tour, it would mark his 11th appearance in the cycling epic.
He made his debut in 2008 and as well as setting up stage wins in the years since, has also enjoyed three top three stage finishes of his own.
This year's Tour de France, which will be celebrating 100 years, starts on July 6 and concludes July 28.
