Sir Mark Cavendish has spoken of his pride at picking up the Lifetime Achievement Award at Thursday evening’s Media Isle of Man’s Awards for Excellence.

After collecting the award, following a standing ovation in the Villa Marina Royal Hall, the 39-year-old cycling superstar said: ‘I wasn’t supposed to be here, but I managed to get a bumpy, bumpy flight back tonight and rush here to get this award.

‘I’m super, super proud to win it.

‘I won a Award for Excellence back in the day, but a lifetime achievement award is very special.

‘I’m super proud to be Manx, I always carry everyone here on all my travels and at all my races, so to pick up this award is very, very, very nice.’

Sir Mark officially brought the curtain down on a glittering near 20-year professional career earlier this month with a fitting victory in the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.

That success in the Far East was the latest in an extremely long career highlight reel for the former Ballakermeen student.

Since turning professional in 2005, Sir Mark has racked up 55 Grand Tour stage wins, which culminated with an incredible and emotional record-breaking 35th victory at the Tour de France this summer.

Considered by many to be sport’s GOAT (Greatest of all Time), the Laxey man’s achievements don’t end there, with world titles on both road and track thrown in for good measure.

He has also become a role model and inspiration to many in the island and much further afield, his charity work helping to earn him a well-deserved knighthood earlier this year.

Sir Mark was quick to praise those that had helped him in the island at the start of his career after collecting his latest accolade with youngest daughter Astrid.

He said: ‘Some people have had a lot of influence - especially the people that helped me get off the island in the early days. I think everyone knows how hard it is to get away.

‘It would have been easy to become the best in the island and be happy with that, but then I had to be the best in Britain and the best in Europe.

‘I was lucky I had the determination to get away, but I think those first people that really pushed me when I was young and helped me when I needed help were very important. There were a lot of people here that did that.’

Some of those that supported Cav in the early point of his career were part of a glowing video tribute - led by wife Peta and their children - paid to the Manx Missile on the night.

Former coach Mike Kelly, junior cycling league co-ordinator Dot Tilbury, ex-Isle of Man team-mate Andrew Roche, former Media Isle of Man sports editor John Watterson and MotoGP star and close friend Cal Crutchlow shared their memories of Cav’s rise to stardom in a eight-minute video shown to the Royal Hall ahead of Cav receiving his award from Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer.

When asked about his plans for the future, Cav quipped: ‘A trip to the Wildlife Park and maybe the Home of Rest for Old Horses. Astrid loves animals!’

‘I definitely don’t want to be a pundit. I don’t speak eloquently enough for that - [fellow Manx ex-professional] Peter Kennaugh speaks a lot better than me.

‘My dream has always been to have a team. We’ll see where that goes.’