DURING Mark Renshaw's 20 years as a professional cyclist the kilometres he climbed were the equivalent of 69.9 ascents of Mount Everest, but it was his work on flatter terrain that became iconic.
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The Bathurst talent became known as one of the best lead out men in the world, setting up his team-mates in bunch sprints as he accelerated and weaved a path towards the head of the peloton.
One of the men who frequently rode alongside him as part of the lead out train - Berhard Eisel - said Renshaw's coolness under pressure was critical.
"He just stays calm and just delivers in the last moment when everybody thinks 'Okay, we're not going to do it today'," Eisel told Team Dimension Data's Unclipped podcast.
"He always delivered, stayed calm, even if there was absolute carnage and distress and people are just everywhere, he stayed calm."
As for Renshaw himself, he said he has no regrets about calling time on his professional career.
He contested 96 events in 22 countries and rode a remarkable 170,745.2 kilometres in those races.
"Mentally I've come to the fact that I just don't want to keep being a professional cyclist," he said.
"Physically I've had some of the best numbers I've ever done, but I think cycling is 50 percent mental and if you don't have it in your head, it's just not possible to do much.
"I'm very happy with my decision to step away at the moment."
