Sir Mark Cavendish Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Sir Mark Cavendish received the Lifetime Achievement award at the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 39-year-old, who retired earlier this year, ended his career with an astonishing 35 Tour de France stage wins, the most in history with his final victory coming in Saint Vulbas in July. Cavendish, from the Isle of Man also boasts 165 professional race wins and a final triumph at the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore in November.

Reflecting on his career, Cavendish expressed his gratitude, saying, “It’s such an amazing feeling—what an honor,” and acknowledged that he had achieved everything he set out to do. His remarkable journey included a road world title in 2011, 17 Giro d’Italia stages and three Vuelta a España stages. On the track, he won Olympic omnium silver in 2016 and became a three-time world champion in the madison event. Cavendish’s career wasn’t without challenges.

He faced injury, illness and depression which threatened his career, particularly in 2019 and 2020 when he failed to win a race. However, a resurgence in 2021 saw him win four more Tour stages and the green jersey. After a violent robbery at his home in 2021 and doubts about his future, Cavendish returned for what seemed to be his final Tour in 2022 but a crash ended that run prematurely.

He made a triumphant return in 2023 to break Eddy Merckx’s Tour stage win record and ended his career with a victory in Singapore. Sir Mark Cavendish’s career was celebrated with the Lifetime Achievement award, a fitting recognition of his legacy in cycling. He had previously won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2011.