Steve Cummings wins an historical stage 14 of the 2015 Tour de France. Credit: PA

They say winning a stage of the Tour de France can define a professional cyclist's career, but that is only the start when it comes to assessing the impact of Steve Cummings' victory a year ago.

Cummings delivered a shock win on stage 14 of the 2015 Tour to Mende as he soloed clear of French duo Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet. He was riding for the African-based team - then known as MTN-Qhubeka - who were making their Tour debut as a wild-card entry, and the victory came on Nelson Mandela Day. "We couldn't have written it any better if we tried," said the team's principal Doug Ryder. "It's changed my career for sure," Cummings said. "It was a dream moment. I think it was just something special for everyone on the team. Mandela was such a legend, it was a big celebration day for Africa. It gives me goosebumps."

Steve Cummings wins stage seven at this year's Tour. Credit: PA

Fast forward a year and the 35-year-old Cummings has won another Tour stage, on stage seven to Lac de Payolle, while his team have developed so fast they are barely recognisable. It seems quite innocent now but when Cummings finished 10th in the opening prologue to last year's Tour, they celebrated with champagne. "We'd never had a top 10 before because we'd never been in the Tour before," Ryder told Press Association Sport. "We drank champagne and celebrated, because that's the culture of our team." This year, there has been no need for a wild-card entry. They still ride to support the Qhubeka charity - distributing bikes to improve access to work and education in Africa - but the team now known as Dimension Data have a WorldTour license, a superstar rider in the form of Mark Cavendish and, with 16 stages of the Tour gone, have five victories to their name in cycling's biggest race of the year. If they celebrated every top 10 finish like they used to, they would have run out of champagne by the end of the opening week. Much of that might not have happened without Cummings' victory.

Cavendish is having a brilliant Tour. Credit: PA

Cavendish has delivered four of those five wins in a return to former glories, but Ryder believes Cummings and his win were key to getting the Manxman on board in the winter.

"Success breeds success," he said. "Cavendish was attracted to our team because of what it stands for but also because it was successful. "Mark spoke to Steve and Steve told him this is the best team to ride for because they believe in riders, they support them with everything they've got and they give every person an opportunity to be successful." Opportunity was the key word when Cummings signed on himself in 2014. He had ridden for some of the biggest teams in the sport - with Discovery, Team Sky and BMC all on his resume - but always found himself in supporting roles, stifling his own ambitions to serve those of others.

Cavendish and Cummings are delivering for Dimension Data. Credit: PA