The Champs Élysées, the iconic conclusion to the Tour de France since 1975, helped Sir Mark Cavendish, the race’s most decorated stage winner, make his name. Four of his 35 stage victories came there.

But one moment on the Champs Élysées remains the most memorable on a bike for both Cavendish and Bradley.

In this extraordinary episode, “Cav” joins his old mate Brad and Graham Wilgoss to delve into the final moments of the 2012 Tour de France when Brad, wearing yellow and on his way to overall victory, led out his teammate, wearing the rainbow World Champion jersey, for the final sprint to victory.

They reveal how the plan had been hatched in a hotel room five years earlier, and constantly remind each other of details the other had long forgotten - including the moment another sprint king found his way on to the team bus for a chat with the fastest man on a bike.

There are countless other little-known Champs Élysées stories too, as Sir Mark delves into the minutiae of how to win the unofficial “World Championship of Sprinters” and how the whole Tour felt a waste on the occasions he failed to do so.

And in probably the most poignant chat of the entire series so far, Brad and Cav open up on the depth of their friendship, how they have helped one another through their darkest moments and why their bond can never be broken.

You won’t want to miss this one.

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Credits

Presented by⁠ Sir Bradley Wiggins⁠ and Graham Willgoss

Guest: Sir Mark Cavendish

Researcher: Luca Unwin

Production Manager: Ross Aitken

Social Video Producer: Rosie Mansfield

YouTube Editor: Théo Stöcklin

Produced and Edited by: Toby Gilles

Executive Producers: Faye Stewart, Ashley Unwin & Dominic de Terville

Recorded at: Outset Studio London Bridge

Sir Bradley Wiggins' Café Aficionado is an Atomized Studios production

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