\n<\/p>\n
Cavendish’s journey has not been straightforward.<\/p>\n
Early in his career, he showed promise as a BMX and mountain bike rider before becoming part of a British Cycling set-up that went on to dominate the track events at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.<\/p>\n
His pro career on the road began in 2005 in a feeder team for T-Mobile, and he won his first Tour stage in 2008 for Team Columbia.<\/p>\n
But from 2017 he was struck by injury, illness and depression – and the Briton feared his career could be over when he failed to win a race during 2019 and 2020.<\/p>\n
A remarkable turnaround brought four more Tour stage wins – and the overall green jersey – in 2021 during a second spell with the Belgian Quick Step team.<\/p>\n
Once again, a tumultuous year followed, and Cavendish and his family were the victims of a violent robbery at their home in 2021.<\/p>\n
He did not secure a place at the 2022 Tour and his future in cycling again looked in doubt before Astana-Qazaqstan pounced at the last minute for 2023.<\/p>\n
They took Cavendish to a 14th – and what should have been final – Tour but a horror crash in which he sustained a broken collarbone abruptly ended his race and left him determined not to allow that to be his final farewell.<\/p>\n
And so it was that in Saint Vulbas earlier this year, he powered to the line in trademark fashion to beat the long-standing record set by Belgian great Eddy Merckx.<\/p>\n
The ‘Manx Missile’ ended his career fittingly with victory in Singapore in November – a month after he was knighted.<\/a><\/p>\n Cavendish was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2011.<\/p>\n In 2023, the Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Liverpool, Celtic and Scotland football legend Sir Kenny Dalglish<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n