Mark Cavendish back on Isle of Man to receive Freedom of Borough of Douglas tonight

Manx Missile belies nickname by picking up award more than two years after it was granted

Thu, Apr 14, 2011 12:00

Mark Cavendish will tonight be the guest of honour at a reception at Douglas Town Hall on his native Isle of Man as he finally receives the Freedom of the Borough first bestowed on him following his first Tour de France stage wins in 2008.

Now, more than two and a half years on, and with a further 11 stages of cycling’s biggest race in his palmarès, among other victories, the Manx Missile will finally receive the award, with his busy schedule making it impossible to schedule a suitable date until now.

The delay in fixing an appointment to receive the award had seen the HTC-Highroad sprinter come under criticism from politicians on the island.

Presumably that will all be forgotten tonight as Cavendish receives the illuminated manuscript confirming the honour, which has previously been bestowed on the likes of Sir Winston Churchill, Norman Wisdom, and the Bee Gees.

Isle of Man

Mark Cavendish

Douglas

Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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2 comments

WolfieSmith | 13 years ago

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Fabulous company: Churchill, The brothers Gibb and Norman Wisdom? Worth accepting it for that alone. All together now - MR GRIMSDAAAAAAAAAALE!!

Loki | 13 years ago

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Finally we can be free of this annoying, whining Freedom of the Borough cabal now that Cavendish is no longer obligated to these people.

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