Mark Cavendish has spoken of his excitement and motivation to represent the Isle of Man at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Manx Missile announced himself on the big stage when he clinched gold on the track in the scratch race at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 as his meteoric rise to stardom gathered momentum.
And the 28-year-old sprinter has set his sights on topping the podium in the road race this summer.
One big advantage that the Omega-Pharma Quick-Step rider has is that, only last year, he claimed the British National Road Race title on the same Glasgow course.
Speaking to The Independent, Cavendish said: ‘I’m super-motivated for that. It is on the course where I won the British national championships in 2013, and the Isle of Man has an incredibly strong team.’
On riding with his Manx compatriots: ‘I love doing it because it is with all my mates, the guys I grew up with. We have been bashing around since we were juniors.
‘There is me, Pete Kennaugh, Mark Christian, who was with Sean Kelly’s team and now is with Raleigh, Andrew Roche who rode the Commonwealth Games in India, and Joe Kelly too.
‘It is not that often you can get to represent the Isle of Man.
‘I’m British and proud to be, but it is nice because I get to be racing with guys I have raced with my whole life.’
The men’s road race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 3 and will be one of the final events of the 2014 Commonwealth Games before the closing ceremony later that evening.