Sir Mark Cavendish wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement award: "Something very, very special"
Cycling
Sir Mark Cavendish will be rewarded for his incredible cycling career when he receives the Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year at the end of the year.
Cavendish achieved the moment we’d all been waiting for in the Tour de France in July, where he finally won his 35th stage to break Eddy Merckx’s long standing record for the most Tour de France stage wins. After completing this legendary feat, Cavendish confirmed his retirement from professional cycling, ending any speculation of him chasing more wins at next year’s edition in July.
The ’Manx Missile,’ claimed the final of 165 professional wins at the Tour de France Criterium, a race in Singapore at the beginning of November.
"It's such an amazing feeling - what an honour," Cavendish said about the award he will receive on Tuesday. "I've been riding for 20 years and I've done everything I can so to be awarded this is something very, very special.
"I'm very fortunate I've done everything I wanted to do, and proud that's more than many other people have done as well. I always dreamed of having my name alongside those greats I grew up watching."
The 39 year old rode for Astan Qazaqstan Team, Soudal – Quick-Step and Team Sky throughout his superb career, which also include a world title, a victory at Milano-Sanremo, 17 stage wins at the Giro d’Italia and three stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana.
Celebrating an incredible athlete and an incredible career.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 16, 2024
Sir @MarkCavendish will receive the Lifetime Achievement award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024.#SPOTY | Tuesday, 19:00 GMT | BBC One, BBC iPlayer pic.twitter.com/jlY3cfaGpB
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- He spent 0 races alongside Roglic, I don't understand what he's talking aboutvappaxbipmv15-01-2025
- I get it. Thanks.roadman5412115-01-2025
- His in form race weight is about 130lbs, he was about 120 last year.awp15-01-2025
- That TT was stage 16 of the '23 tour. He lost muscle mass after the crash last year that lightened him up a bit too much.awp15-01-2025
- That super time trial (I forget where?) he did where he blew everyone away was something special. If he gains weight that surely counts against him? What is the thinking on this then?roadman5412115-01-2025
- Yeah, maybe it’s just a Van de Poulidor thing, family is an important influence early in life and neither was very well rewarded by the Tour no matter how much they gave He’s more Van De than Poulidor and I think his main goal was accomplished, avenging the missing Yellow jersey, a GC win being off the table no matter how many Poulidor genes he inherited. He also knows that despite the incredible TdF résumé and respect his grandad (later*) had he sacrificed 15 years of it for a measly 7 stage wins and no real Tour recognition other than the rather ambiguously discerned title of “eternal second”. So on an emotional level I would understand he’s not losing any love here, if his team and sponsors accept then he must have been able to provide convincing arguments, that we’ll most likely never hear of. * Don’t forget the shit other riders put him through for accepting to be the first to be controlled for doping over which the others went on strike, I’m sure the little MVDP got some lasting negative impressions from some of the first hand accounts he got of how your peers can treat you when you don’t follow the herd.Mistermaumau15-01-2025
- You're right mikolajjj, he is a disgusting person and I'm ashamed that he is Italian. It's not about being a vegetarian, it's about not killing animals for fun. Teenage prank? Really? Good and evil, Pain and Death are understood from the age of 6-7 years old.
maria2024202415-01-2025 - It does, he had some weight management issues, being too lightweight I believe. He will be right there if he comes healthy.awp15-01-2025
- I think you are right. The way he came back from that dreadful accident and still managed to finish second in the tour speaks volumes.roadman5412115-01-2025
- Never count Vingegaard out. He is one hell of great athlete. If he comes healthy it will be game on.awp15-01-2025