Mark Cavendish given a knighthood in King’s birthday honours

Cycling sprint star Mark Cavendish has been given a knighthood in the King’s birthday honours.

The 39-year-old from the Isle of Man has won a joint record 34 Tour de France stages and won the world road race title in 2011, the same year he was made an MBE.

He was also a silver medallist in the omnium at the 2016 Olympics.

Cavendish said: “I’m truly humbled to be honoured by His Majesty The King. It’s always been the biggest privilege to represent my country, and seeing cycling as the sport, pastime and mode of transport I’ve given my life to, grow in Great Britain during the span of my career has given me joy and pride beyond words.  I’m truly thankful to everybody that has lived this journey with me.”

Former Scotland football stars Graeme Souness and Ally McCoist have also been recognised.

Souness, 71, becomes a CBE for services to football and charity while McCoist is made an OBE for services to football and broadcasting.

Other star names from the world of sport to be honoured are Chris Boardman, who won gold in the men’s individual pursuit cycling at the 1992 Olympics, who becomes a CBE, while golfer Sandy Lyle and former England cricketer Katherine Sciver-Brunt are made OBEs and former England football coach Chris Powell becomes an MBE.

Anita Neil, the sprinter who became the first black woman to compete for Great Britain at an Olympic Games in 1968, has been made an MBE.

Souness featured in three World Cups for Scotland and enjoyed great success at club level with Liverpool, where he won five league titles and three European Cups. Souness is also vice-president of DEBRA, a charity which raises funding for, and awareness of, the skin condition epidermolysis bullosa (EB).

McCoist, 61, is best known now as a co-commentator and pundit but enjoyed great success during his playing days, chiefly at Rangers where he remains the club’s all-time top goalscorer, having been on target 355 times in 581 matches and winning eight league titles.

Fast bowler Sciver-Brunt, 38, won two 50-over World Cups and one T20 world title in a glittering career with England.

“Representing my country for 19 years filled me with passion and pride,” she said.

“It’s the same feeling I get now when I think of receiving this award. It’s such a great honour that I can one day share with my children.”

Powell was part of Gareth Southgate’s England coaching team at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

He played over 700 matches with clubs including Southend, Charlton and Derby, is currently an assistant manager at Sheffield Wednesday and won five England caps.

“I always thought that representing my country and the FA would be the pinnacle of my career, as both a player and a coach, but this honour is beyond my expectations,” Powell said.

Boardman’s CBE recognises his work as commissioner at Active Travel England, the government’s executive agency responsible for making walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice for everyone to get around.

“‘I’m delighted to receive this honour for services to active travel,” Boardman said.

“I started this journey many years ago when my daughter, Agatha, wanted to ride to the park. Even though it was just 500 metres away I felt I had to say no, because I wasn’t sure I could keep her safe. That felt wrong, so I decided to do something about it.

“Nearly 20 years on, the fight has never been more relevant, so it’s been an easy cause to champion, especially as I know most parents would love transport independence for their kids too. And if they have it, we all do.”

Karen Carney, the former England football international who is leading efforts to reform the women’s game at elite and grassroots level, becomes an OBE.

Kay Cossington, the Football Association’s women’s technical director, has been made an MBE.

Wayne Barnes, who refereed last year’s Rugby World Cup final, becomes an OBE for services to his sport.

Lyle, 66, who now becomes an OBE having been made an MBE in 1987, won the Masters tournament in 1988 having won his first major at the US Open in 1985.

Lyle said: “I am both honoured and humbled to be recognised in this way for my contribution to the game I have loved for as long as I could hold a club.

“The game of golf has brought me so many incredible moments and memories over the years and I have been blessed and privileged to share these with family and great friends throughout my career.”

Kevin Miles, the chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association which has campaigned tirelessly for an independent regulator in the sport, becomes an OBE, while Rebecca Redfern, who won swimming silver medals at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics, has been made an MBE.

Stuart Benson, who was part of Britain’s four-man bobsleigh team which won bronze at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, has also been made an MBE.