Glaswegians have a word which describes Mark Cavendish perfectly: gallus.

It means "sure of himself" and the 28-year-old from the Isle of Man is certainly that - and with good reason.

With multiple stage victories in each of the last six Tours de France - and 25 in all midway through the 2013 race - Cavendish has proven himself to be the leading sprinter of all time.

He has also shown that he likes Glasgow, with his victory in the British Championships in June strengthening his position as favourite for the Glasgow 2014 road race.

We have been here before, though. Cavendish finished arms aloft on The Mall in 2011 in the Olympic test event, but a year later a longer course and the strategy of rivals conspired against him and his Great Britain team on the opening day of London 2012 as he trailed in 29th.

The rivals - partaking in the belief that making sure Cavendish does not win is as good as victory itself - won out in Delhi at the last Commonwealth Games, too.

The Manxman had travelled to India at the end of a gruelling season and following the Road World Championships in Australia.

Many of his fellow British cyclists had opted to skip an event which was mired in controversy and clashed in the competition calendar with a qualifier for London 2012.

But Cavendish, with support of a largely amateur team, rode strongly to place seventh in a race so frenetic it resembled the Wacky Races and Survival of the Fittest rolled into one.

Aiming to add to his scratch title won on the track in Melbourne four years earlier, Cavendish's sole ally in the decisive break was Scotland's David Millar.

As Cavendish's energy and will finally buckled under the pressure of repeated attacks on the last of 12 laps, Millar finished with bronze.

Cavendish, who spent much of the following week at Scotland House, was far from dejected, though, and stayed on to perform a team role.

He was support driver and general helper at the time-trial, which his friend Millar won, and postponed his flight home to attend the closing ceremony in his Isle of Man tracksuit.

The patriotic Manxman will be the talisman for the small island in the Irish Sea at Glasgow 2014 and will be determined to deliver.

Four years on from Delhi, his support cast will be strong in Tour rider and Olympic champion Pete Kennaugh, plus a host of youngsters including Tim Kennaugh, Mark Christian and more.

In Glasgow, there may yet be another demonstration of why Cavendish has the right to be gallus.