Mark Cavendish has been handed the honour of official starter for this year's Le Mans 24 Hours.
Cavendish has made his name on two wheels throughout an astonishing cycling career, in which he notably holds the record for most stage wins in the Tour de France, with 35.
On the track, Cavendish, known as the 'Manx Missile', won three world championship gold medals in the madison event.
But it was on the road where the 40-year-old made his name, in particular in the Tour de France, earning himself the reputation as arguably the greatest sprinter in the event's history.
It was in the 2024 Tour that Cavendish finally secured the record for stage wins, overtaking the mark set by the legendary Eddy Merckx.
He also won 17 stages of the Giro d'Italia and three on the Vuelta a España. In 2011, he became only the second British cyclist to win the road race at the UCI Road World Championships.
In recognition of his achievements, Cavendish will flag the field away at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours, which runs over the weekend of June 13-14.
An X post on the official 24 Hours of Le Mans account hailed the event as 'The Ultimate Sprinter for the Ultimate Race'.
The post added: "He conquered the Champs-Élysées; now he masters the Mulsanne Straight. We are honoured to welcome cycling royalty Sir @MarkCavendish as the Official Starter of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two icons, one shared DNA: the relentless pursuit of greatness."
Cavendish said: "France and me go back a long way. The Tour taught me everything I know about pain, glory, and pushing your limits.
"Some competitions transcend their discipline; they belong to all sports fans everywhere. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of them.
"It’s a temple of sport, and I’m looking forward to experiencing the start from the inside."
Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, added: "Sir Mark Cavendish is an outstanding sportsman and a fitting starter for our 94th 24-hour race. He stands for all that this event holds dear: dazzling performance and shared passion."
In recent years, Roger Federer, Zinedine Zidane, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal and Brad Pitt have started the race.
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