Manx Missile Sir Mark Cavendish receives knighthood at Windsor Castle
Granada Reports journalist Joshua Stokes reports on Mark Cavendish receiving a knighthood from Prince William
Cyclist Mark Cavendish says receiving his knighthood is "super humbling" and "very, very special".
Sir Mark, from the Isle of Man, received his award from Prince William in a ceremony at Windsor Palace celebrating sports stars across the country.
Sir Mark Cavendish was knighted by Prince William at the ceremony in Windsor Castle
Speaking about the honour he said it was something athletes were "not generally used to".
“I’m a proud Brit," he said. "I’ve represented the country many, many times in my career, and with all the proud of the flag and to know you’ve been recognised by your country and his Highness is something very, very special."
He added: "To have an award, to have it bestowed upon you, a honour is not something generally you’re used to as a sports person.
"As a sports person you have a goal and you put the work in to achieve that goal.
"As a cyclist it’s a race, it’s a win and you are generally in control of how you get there and it’s a process that comes.
"But to have something that is bestowed upon you and it feels different because its super humbling."
Sir Mark finished this season with a record-breaking 35th career Tour stage win in what he said would “likely” be his last race.
Between 2007 and 2015, he piled up 133 victories including the 2011 world title, stages of all three Grand Tours, Milan-Sanremo in 2009 and more.
He also won a silver medal in the omnium at the 2016 Olympics.
His knighthood means he joins an elite list of other honoured cyclists.
“I’m very lucky to have received an MBE some time ago," Sir Mark said.
"I never thought growing up that anybody in cycling would be knighted and to just see that in my career, that cycling was important enough, with Sir Brad [Wiggins], Sir Dave [Brailsford], Sir Chris [Hoy], Dame Laura [Kenny], Dame Sarah [Storey], it’s pretty special.
"Cycling as quite small and niche when I started, to know it’s big enough and successful enough in this country, it gets recognition, it gets rewarded, that’s special enough for me."
Sir Mark was joined by a host of Britain’s sporting greats at the investiture ceremony.
Former Scotland football star Ally McCoist received an OBE for services to football and broadcasting.
While Wayne Barnes, 45, who refereed the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, received an OBE for services to his sport.
Karen Carney, 37, the former England football international who is leading efforts to reform the women’s game at elite and grassroots level, received an OBE.